Haunting Flames- Book Three in Flames Series
by DianneRose2016
Summary: Full Summary Inside: Three years have passed since Sasuke became a missing-nin. Kakashi's world is shattered when he learns some disturbing news. Now it is a race against time to save Sasuke from the Hell he has been trapped in. But Sasuke has a long road of recovery ahead of him. Add in Itachi now being back and Shikamaru's new boyfriend. Plus Sasuke's two young children.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So this is the third installment of my SasukeXShikamaru Flame series. It is important to read Up in Flames and A Burning Flame first to truly understand the relationships of everyone involved and the past history. This story will be darker than the other two stories as it will deal with more adult situations like torture and mentions of rape.**_

 _ **Summary: Three years have passed since Sasuke was taken from Konoha with everyone believing he was a missing-nin. When a stranger goes to Kakashi with shattering news Kakashi then goes on the hunt to find and free Sasuke from his hell. But how will Kakashi and everyone handle finding Sasuke and two small children? How will Itachi handle being back in Konoha and taking care of not only Sasuke, but two children? Will Kakashi's and Iruka's relationship survive the stress and the return of Itachi, the first man that Kakashi ever kissed? Add in the fact that Shikamaru has a new boyfriend and you are in for one rough recovery.**_

 _ **Story Warnings: Mentions of past rape, mentions of torture, violence, swearing, sexual situations, mentions of past child abuse and infidelity**_

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Chapter 1

It had been three years since Sasuke had left. Three years since the day that Kakashi found the letter that Sasuke left behind along with his forehead protector. Three long years that were filled with pain for Kakashi. Kakashi had loved Sasuke like a son and for the past three years he had been without his son. After Sasuke left things had started to change. Jiraiya had returned a week later and had taken Naruto with him to be trained, they had just returned six weeks ago in time for the war. Sakura had been trained by Tsunade in medical training and Jitsu so not only was Kakashi a father without his son. He was also a Sensei without his students. Kakashi had spent the past three years going on one mission after the next. He had been working with the ANBU on their missions and drowning himself in paperwork. He was doing everything he could think of to keep himself busy and his mind off from Sasuke. Whenever he had the chance he would look for Sasuke when he was out on missions, but he had never heard any word of Sasuke.

Shikamaru had been miserable for a good year before he slowly began to move on from Sasuke and now he had been dating a new boyfriend for a year. He was finally moving on from his relationship to Sasuke and he was smiling again. Chouji and Shikamaru's relationship had improved as well with him no longer dating Sasuke. Chouji approved of his new boyfriend and the three of them had often went out for meals and movies together. Shikaku and Yoshino also liked Shikamaru's new boyfriend, but deep down they both missed Sasuke and what Shikamaru was like with Sasuke. The new boyfriend, Hurrio, was a ninja as well and came from a large family. He was a happy young man that was seventeen and an only child. He was a skilled ninja, but not one of the top. He was loyal to Konoha though and he was often active on missions. The only problem they had was the fact that Hurrio hated the Uchiha Clan and was very pleased that they were all dead and Sasuke was gone and hopefully dead. As a result they didn't talk about Sasuke or the Uchiha Clan, because despite Sasuke leaving Shikamaru still thought he was a good person and he missed the friendship they had together. Hurrio had also been with two other guys before Shikamaru so he was more experienced in that sense. They had been together for a year and had done everything, but have sex with each other. Shikamaru knew that Hurrio wanted to, but Shikamaru just didn't have the desire to do that just yet. For some reason it felt wrong to be having sex with Hurrio. Shikamaru just couldn't explain it, but he just didn't want Hurrio to be his first. It was something he was trying to figure out still.

Six weeks ago the world was rocked with another Ninja War with Madara and the few remaining Ataksuki. It was a tough battle, but with Naruto's power and with Itachi showing his true loyalties they were able to defeat Madara and win the war without too much damage and casualties on their end. All of their friends had survived and with Itachi they were all finally hoping to discover some piece of information on Sasuke. Only to have their hearts crushed once again when they discovered that Itachi hadn't even heard from Sasuke or anything about him. Itachi had been granted ninja status once again with his mission now over, but he had asked for some time off so he could go out and search for Sasuke. Tsunade agreed because she felt that she owed Itachi that much. As well as her concern for Sasuke was growing as no one had heard of him or had managed to find him in three years. Wherever Sasuke was he was hidden very deeply underground. And with needing to take medication daily Tsunade and the others were worried about where he was getting his medication for the past three years.

With the war complete and Itachi now out there searching for Sasuke Kakashi hadn't had much to do in recent weeks. The ANBU were still training and going on missions, but there wasn't a high demand for S-Ranked missions with the war over. The world was in a form of peace currently. Even with the other Great Nations not arguing with each other. It was going back to simple and easy missions for everyone and that was leaving not only Kakashi feeling bored, but some of the other higher ranking ninja as well. Kakashi thankfully had the ANBU to keep him a little busy with training and paperwork. Something he never thought he would be happy about.

Kakashi was in his apartment just doing some cleaning. Iruka had a class to teach as the academy was back on with the war officially over. Kakashi figured he would clean up and then cook them some dinner tonight as a way of saying thank-you. Iruka had been there for Kakashi through the past three years as Kakashi was depressed after losing not only Sasuke, but Naruto and Sakura as well. Kakashi could tell that Iruka had been annoyed on more than one occasion but he had stayed with Kakashi and pushed through the difficult patch in their relationship. Kakashi honestly didn't know what he would have done without Iruka in these past three years. Kakashi was brought out of his thoughts with a knock at his door. Kakashi put his mask back up and made his way over to his front door. He figured it was probably an ANBU with a question. He wasn't expecting a middle age man and a young teenager beat up on the other side of his door.

"Can I help you?" Kakashi asked doing his best to keep the confusion from his voice as he had no idea who these two were.

"You are Hatake Kakashi correct?" The man asked.

"I am. Who are you?" Kakashi asked now on guard.

"I am Misho Yuro and this my son Hasan. You are Uchiha Sasuke's father correct?" The man asked.

"I am. Do you know where he is?" Kakashi asked now very interested.

"May we come in please? It's a bit of a story and my son is injured he needs to rest." Yuro said.

"Of course." Kakashi said as he moved back and let them both into his home.

Kakashi knew it wouldn't be the smartest thing in the world, but realistically he could handle himself against anyone as long as they weren't Uchiha Itachi or a pissed off Nine Tails. A middle aged man and a beat up thirteen year old didn't register on his dangerous radar. The man helped his son sit down in one of the chairs as he sat down on the arm of the chair. Kakashi sat down on the couch and spoke.

"How do you know Sasuke?"

That was the only topic that mattered to Kakashi right now. Not who they were or what happened to the boy, but Sasuke.

"I don't know him personally. My son does, but only for eight weeks. Eight weeks ago I found this letter on Hasan's bed." Yuro said as he handed Kakashi the letter and continued on. "It stated that he was leaving. That he couldn't handle school anymore and the village. To not look for him that he would be underground and I would never find him. That he was never coming back. At the time it didn't sit right with me. We were very close. He told me everything no matter how awkward it may be for us. We talked about everything. Him just leaving like that it didn't make sense to me. I looked for him, but I couldn't find him. Five days ago he returned home, battered as you can see. I immediately took him to the hospital within my village and they did what they could for him. He had been in a series of fights and he was malnourished, exhausted and dehydrated from his time away. The first thing he told me was that he didn't leave willingly. He was taken while I was working the night shift that night." Yuro said with hurt and anger in his voice at not being there for his son.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. Did Sasuke help you escape?" Kakashi asked still not sure what was going on.

"Sort of. I was hit with a dart to the neck. It knocked me out right away. When I woke up I was in this room. The walls were dirt and the floor was cement. I had a collar around my neck and a chain attached to it and into the middle of the room. There was no windows and the door was solid metal with no handle on the inside. My shirt was removed and I was in the room with someone. Another man and two small children. A boy that was about two years old and an eight month old little girl. There was also this dog. The other young man was Sasuke." Hasan explained with a hoarse voice from the collar.

"What? You must be mistaken." Kakashi instantly said.

"I'm not. Please hear me out. He's in trouble and he's very sick. He told me to come to you. That I had to find you. That you would know what to do." Hasan said with panic in his voice.

"Tell me everything you know. Everything he told you no matter how small it might seem." Kakashi said with a serious voice as he made a hand seal to have Pakun appear.

"Hey boss." Pakun said.

"Go get Tsunade and tell her to come here. It's about Sasuke. Hurry." Kakashi said.

"Got it." Pakun took off out the window and Kakashi gave Hasan his full attention.

"He didn't leave willingly. He was hit with a dart like me. He said it was the last thing he remembered before waking up in that place. I don't even really know what it is or who they are. They always wore masks so none of us ever saw their faces. But Sasuke said there was a lot of them. That they were all different sizes and their voices were different. He remembered seeing some different tattoos on some of their arms and the back of their necks. Um… he said that a group of them had the same accent. That they sounded like they were from or around the Cloud villages. Does that make sense?" Hasan asked not sure if he was making sense or not as Sasuke wasn't making much sense either.

"It does. Anything else that he told you about them? About what they looked like or what they wore? Anything at all, even the smallest detail will help us find where they are." Kakashi said with patience in his voice.

"They always wore black and boots. Heavy boots, like they climbed a lot, but I don't know what. Sasuke has been there the whole time in the same room. In the room there is just a dirty thin mattress on the floor. The longer you are there the sicker the person becomes. They only feed you once every three weeks and water every three days. The room is always dark, all the time. You can barely see across the small room. There was a lot of us in that place though. Sasuke said he thought there was about a hundred teenagers there both males and females. He wasn't sure on the number though, because he hadn't seen everyone all at the same time and a lot died and new ones came." Hasan said before he started coughing.

Kakashi got up and went into the kitchen and grabbed Hasan a glass of cold water to help his throat. He went back over and handed it to Hasan. Hasan took a few small sips to help stop the coughing. He was about to continue when the front door opened and Tsunade walked in with Pakun. She closed the door and went over to the others.

"This is Tsunade, she is the Hokage of village. This is Misho Yuro and his son Hasan. Hasan went missing eight weeks ago. He was captured and placed somewhere. He was somehow able to escape and they came here. Sasuke was in that same facility that Hasan was in. He was captured three years ago from Konoha. He didn't leave willingly." Kakashi explained.

"Can we confirm that?" Tsunade asked with dread but also knowing they needed proof he was captured in Konoha and not a day after he left.

"This is the letter that was left on Hasan's bed. It's the same language that was in Sasuke's letter. Hasan was also roomed with Sasuke and Shadow." Kakashi said as he handed Tsunade the letter.

"And his two kids." Hasan said.

"What?" Both Kakashi and Tsunade said at the same time.

"The little boy and girl I had mentioned. They were his. Kai the boy and Yin the girl." Hasan said sadly.

"You need to explain. This is very important. I have labeled Sasuke as a missing-nin. We thought he left willingly and betrayed the village. Now you are telling us that he has been kept in this place for three years. We need to know everything." Tsunade said in a serious voice.

"Sasuke told him that the men always wore mask, black clothes and boots made for climbing. Some had tattoos on their arms and the back on their necks and a group of them had accents like the Cloud area. There is roughly a hundred other teenagers both females and males within the facility. There could be more or slightly less as they have died and some Sasuke might not have ever seen." Kakashi said.

"Why capture Sasuke and let him keep the dog though that doesn't make any sense." Tsunade said.

"It's a mean dog. He growls at anyone that comes near Sasuke or one of the kids, even me. It's a very mean dog." Hasan said.

"He's a King Sheppard breed they are meant as guard dogs and a family dog. They protect their own. It's been there for three years with Sasuke and having Sasuke hurt. It would have made him very protective of Sasuke and the two little ones. He would see them as his own pups. Dogs can be retrained once the violent situation is removed. What did Sasuke tell you about the facility?" Kakashi asked.

"Sasuke knew he was dying soon. It's what happens when a new person is placed with an older one. It's the older ones job to teach the new one what happens. His chakra has been sealed away just enough for him to not be able to use it, but not enough that he would lose his eyes. I guess from some technique or something that his body needed." Hasan said confused as he wasn't in the ninja world.

"Sasuke has a special eye bloodline. It requires chakra to go into his eyes. If it is blocked off fully it will eventually make him blind." Kakashi supplied.

"What do they want with all of these teenagers?" Tsunade asked.

"It's some kind of fighting ring Sasuke said. I didn't get to see it. The first few months they hurt you to make you submissive. Make you too weak to fight back and too afraid to go against them. They keep the females and males separated. They fight the males. Bets are placed Sasuke said and the winner is the one left alive. They fight to the death in this ring. If you refuse to fight they kill them both as an example to the others. Everyone watches. The ones that don't fight are kept on the chain and walked around like pets almost. The two fighting are in a pit that they can't get out of. Not until one of them is dead. The better the fighter the more they fight. Sasuke's an Uchiha so they made him fight a lot. It didn't matter if he was the best they all wanted to have the title of being the owner of the fighter that killed an Uchiha. Like a trophy.

The females were kept as breeders. The top fighters get drugged and taken to this room and chained to a bed. The females are drugged and brought into the same room. They are forced to have sex and they do it until the girl gets pregnant. They give them special drugs to help make them more fertile. They make sure the girls are taken care of while pregnant so they deliver healthy babies and then once they give birth they kill them. And the babies go to the father to take care of. Sasuke has two with two different females. I didn't hear about that from him. A guard told me while he was hurting me. Sasuke doesn't talk about it. He only told me their names. Kai, after his father and Yin after the only true mother he had ever met. He takes care of them, but you can tell he was only doing it because he had to, because it was what was right. His heart wasn't in it or his mind. The guards were talking about doing it one more time before he died. They wanted another boy. They used to tell me that when he was dead I would have to take care of them. He's really sick." Hasan said with tears in his eyes.

Yuro pulled his son into his arms and held onto him as he shook and held the tears back.

"How sick and injured is he? Sasuke had to take medication every day to help with clotting his blood. Is he still on it?" Kakashi asked with worry.

"He's not on anything. Once a week they give him a shot I guess for his blood. But it doesn't really work too well. He still bleeds a lot from a simple cut. He has trouble breathing and his lips are slightly blue. I think its pneumonia. It's really cold down there and he's really thin and weak. He doesn't really sleep because of the kids. He's afraid to leave them alone and they are both weak themselves and getting sick. They don't get enough food or water. Sasuke always gives them his. Shadow keeps them warm Sasuke makes sure of it. His head hurts all the time and he gets really confused and forgetful. He couldn't remember my name and he would ask me the same questions all the time. His hands shake and his back really hurts. He can barely lay down on it from the pain. He's not fighting anymore because of his legs. They get pins and needles in them and they go numb a lot. His left leg is worse from being broken. He can barely stand on it. His legs are always hurting and he can barely move them. He's dying. I think Kai and Yin are too. She doesn't cry. Apparently she never has and Kai his breathing isn't that great. They sound sick or maybe they are just too rundown. Shadow is thin and he's hurt from getting kicked or hit from protecting them from the guards. Sasuke always calls him back so he doesn't get hurt. They don't have long." Hasan said sadly.

"How did you escape?" Tsunade asked gently.

"Sasuke told me how. He figured it out a while ago, but he never had the chance to leave. He said he had the chance once, but he couldn't leave Kai behind and he wouldn't have made it with him. He told me when to run and where to go I followed his instructions and when the guard came to give us our water and food I ran. Sasuke had been able to make a lock pick with a piece of metal he found on the ground out in the pit. He tried to get his collar off, but his hands were shaking too much and they weren't strong enough to hold the metal. I got my collar off and when the door opened I stabbed the guard in the neck like Sasuke told me and I ran. Down three hallways and out the water grate that was used to wash down the blood from the torture room. I got outside and I just kept running until I knew where I was. I wanted to bring them with me. I wanted to help them, but Sasuke he wouldn't make it. That all of us wouldn't make it and that I was their best chance. That I had to come here to Konoha and tell Hatake Kakashi. That you would get them out. Home was closer to I went there first and got my dad and we came here." Hasan explained.

"You did the right thing. I know it might not feel like that right now, but you did the right thing. Their best chances of survival was you leaving on your own. They won't think you'll come here. They'll just believe you are going back home to your father. You aren't a ninja so they won't suspect anything. Would you be able to tell us what the area looked like when you came out of the grate?" Kakashi asked.

"It was surrounded by trees, but they weren't normal. They didn't look like the trees here or back home. They had needles as leaves and they were really tall, but thin. Made for the winter season. The ground was hard and the grass was a light brown color. I ran East for about three hours and then I knew where I was so I ran South for another three hours before I arrived back home at the village of Shui in the Rock area." Hasan said.

"That would put them somewhere between the village of Clouds and the village of Ice. A nine hour journey from here." Tsunade said.

"I'll need a large squad to go in there. We could be facing upwards of a hundred guards. Not to mention how many injured and potential children are there." Kakashi said.

"Hasan, would you be able to draw Kakashi a map of the route you took and the area so he could try and find it?" Tsunade asked.

"Anything I can do to help." Hasan immediately said.

"Kakashi, get anyone you can together and go. Take ANBU if you need to just get there. Leave within ninety minutes. Hasan, after you have that map I would like for you to come with me to the hospital so I can examine you and keep you overnight. You should still be in a hospital bed." Tsunade said.

"I appreciate that, but we come from a poor village. I cannot afford a hospital stay." Yuro said sadly.

"There will be no charge. Because of your son we have discovered one of our ninja has been held captive along with other young males and females. There is no charge at all. I want your son healthy as well. I will be at the hospital and getting everything ready for the return of the captives. Kakashi bring them all back here where we can guarantee they are looked at and well taken care of. We will also need to discover where their family is and inform them of the situation once we have everyone back." Tsunade said.

"Of course." Kakashi said as he got up and grabbed some paper and a pen for Hasan to being drawing the map.

Kakashi handed it to Hasan as he spoke.

"Try and make it as detailed as possible from when you go out of the grate so we can find it again."

"Ok." Hasan said as he took the paper and began working on it.

Kakashi and Tsunade went off to the side and Tsunade whispered.

"This bad Kakashi. He's been there too long and without his medication. His kidney could be completely in failure. And his legs. If they got injured he might lose all function in them. I need him here as fast as possible. When you find him, bring him and the children back right away. Don't wait for the others. Those three lives are the top priority right now."

"I will."

"Send a hound to find Itachi and let him know of the situation and have him back to the village. I don't know what evil this is, but we are going to need all the help we can get right now. The hospital is about to get slammed. I need to get it ready for this. In eighteen hours we are going to be getting a large number of victims. Get the map and be out front of the gate in ninety minutes, no later. I'll meet you there with a sedative that you can give to Sasuke to keep him asleep for the journey. He won't be in pain that way. Bring water and food for the kids and the dog. I'll also have milk for the infant to give you."

"Once I have the map I'll go tell Shikamaru and his parents. I'll send Pakun out now to start gathering ninja."

"Oh Shikamaru, I didn't even think about that. Good luck and bring them home."

"What about the children? Will Sasuke be able to keep them?" Kakashi asked with concern.

"Let's worry about that when they are healthy. If Sasuke wants them I am not about to break up a family. But if Sasuke wants them has yet to be determined. Let's open that can of worms later when we know they will all survive." Tsunade said not looking to get into that just yet.

Kakashi gave a nod and turned his attention to Pakun.

"Go and find the rest of our group and have them ready to leave and meet out front of the gates. Find everyone you can."

"Got it boss."

Pakun headed out the window once again and go round up everyone he could fine. With Pakun gone Kakashi went to start getting his pack together. His mind was going a mile a minute with questions running through it. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had spent all these years being in that hell hole. He had been tortured and raped for three years and as a result he had two small children that Sasuke may never want to keep. There was no telling just how sick and injured Sasuke was until Tsunade was able to look at him. Same as the children. Kakashi just couldn't believe this. For the past three years Kakashi had believed that Sasuke had left on his own. That he had given everything up when he discovered the truth behind the Clan's death. All of this time and Sasuke had been held captive. All this time that Kakashi could have been out there looking for Sasuke and anyone that might have something to do with his capture. All of the pain that could have been avoided by Sasuke. Kakashi couldn't let himself think about that just yet. He had to find Sasuke and get him out of there. Him and his two children and Shadow. After ten minutes Kakashi was ready and went back to check on Hasan's progress.

"This is the best that I can do. I hope it's helpful to you." Hasan said as he handed Kakashi the piece of paper.

Kakashi took it and looked at it. It was rather detailed and Kakashi was thankful that Hasan had at least paid attention to where he was after he had escaped.

"This will help. Thank-you." Kakashi said.

"He never forgot about you. He talked about you. He told the kids stories about you. He would sit there and watch the door for days straight without moving or sleeping. Just waiting for you to walk through it. He said you would find them one day." Hasan said sadly.

"With your help, now I can. Get to the hospital and rest. You've done your part." Kakashi said doing everything he could to keep the hurt from his voice.

"I'll take you there. Kakashi I'll meet you at the front gate with what you need." Tsunade said.

Kakashi gave a nod and Yuro helped Hasan get up. They all headed out of Kakashi's apartment and back down to the street. Kakashi immediately took off for the Nara home to inform them of the situation. Kakashi knew this was going to completely destroy them, but they had to know. They had to be prepared for what could happen. Kakashi ran the whole way there and once he arrived he knocked on the door. Shikaku opened the door and he was surprised to see Kakashi there.

"Kakashi, come on in." Shikaku said.

Kakashi walked in and saw that Asuma was there along with Hurrio sitting in the living room.

"What's wrong?" Asuma instantly asked as he could see the worry in Kakashi's eye. He had known Kakashi since the academy and he could easily tell when something was bothering him.

"We have a serious problem. We all made a huge mistake." Kakashi said with hurt in his voice.

"What's wrong?" Shikaku asked as everyone was now giving Kakashi their full attention.

"I just had a father and son come to me at my apartment. Yuro, the father, his son Hasan had been missing for eight weeks. One night Yuro came home from work to find a note on Hasan's bed stating that he couldn't handle being in the village anymore and to not look for him. He was going underground and he was never coming back." Kakashi started.

"That's the exact wording that was in Sasuke's letter." Shikamaru said.

"How do you know that?" Hurrio asked.

"I have it memorised." Shikamaru simply answered.

"Hasan was drugged by a dart and when he woke up he was in a dirt and cement room. He had a collar around his neck with a chain attacked to a link in the floor. There was a dirty and thin mattress on the floor. He also had someone else there. Sasuke was there." Kakashi said sadly.

"He helped kidnap the poor kid." Hurrio stated with disgust.

"No he didn't. He was chained up too. Along with Shadow. Three years ago when we all thought he left willingly, he didn't. He was drugged with a dart and taken there as well. He's been there for three years now same as Shadow. He also has two small children a two year old boy named Kai and an eight month old daughter named Yin." Kakashi explained.

"What?" Yoshino said with hurt in her voice.

"This whole time." Shikamaru said softly with hurt in his voice.

"Three years now. What are they doing with them?" Shikaku asked angry that Sasuke had endured this type of pain.

"Sasuke told Hasan everything he could think of about the operation. He also told Hasan how to escape. According to Sasuke, it's a fighting ring of some sort. There are roughly a hundred other teenagers there both male and females. They are kept separated. The males fight one-on-one against each other to death while the men that run it bet on who is going to win. For the first three months anyone that is new is tortured and broken in so they don't fight against the guards and are too weak to run. Sasuke has a seal on him to block his chakra, but it's not strong enough to make him blind. From what Hasan said, Sasuke's had to kill a lot of people." Kakashi said sadly.

"A kill or be killed situation. If he didn't his opponent would have." Asuma said.

"And if neither of them fight then the guards would kill both of them right there in this fighting pit. If you want to survive you win, no matter what. The females are used as breeders. They take the top fighters, drug them and chain them down to a bed. They then drug the females and send them in the room. They do that until the girl is pregnant. They give the girls fertility drugs to increase their chances. Once they give birth to a healthy baby the baby is placed with the father and the female is killed. Sasuke has two children from it now." Kakashi said.

"He's been raped. It's untraditional, but that's what it is. How are they?" Shikaku asked.

"According to Hasan they aren't good. Sasuke is really sick. He's dying. They put Hasan in with Sasuke so Sasuke can tell him the rules and when he dies Hasan was to take care of the children. They kids don't cry Hasan said. They are getting sick and are run down. The guards only feed the captives once every three weeks and they only get water once every three days. I don't know about the children if they get more Hasan didn't say. The room is cold as well. Hasan said their breathing didn't sound normal. They are probably sick and very malnourished. Sasuke is injured and very sick. He's not breathing very well and his lips are slightly blue. He gets confused and forgetful. He couldn't remember Hasan's name the whole time. His legs hurt. They go numb and he can barely stand on them. They hurt all the time. He probably has an injury to his back again. He hasn't been given his medication. They give him some kind of shot once a week to help with his blood, but it doesn't work very well. He doesn't have long." Kakashi said with hurt in his voice.

"Do we know where he is?" Asuma asked.

"Hasan drew a map of the area. He's about nine hours away, somewhere between the village of Clouds and the village of Ice. Pakun is rounding up as many ninja as he can find to be ready to leave within ninety minutes. I'll have to explain it roughly again then. Tsunade is at the hospital with Hasan and Yuro. Hasan is still injured and weak from being held captive for two months. Sasuke was able to make a lock pick from a piece of metal from the fighting pit. Hasan used it to get out of his collar and when the guard came in he stabbed him in the neck like Sasuke told him to. He then ran for the water grate that Sasuke told him about. He didn't want to leave without Sasuke and the children, but Sasuke told him they wouldn't make it. That their best chance was for him to leave and find me. Now we have to hurry. We have to free the other captives and Tsunade wants them all brought back here. We'll have to locate their families afterwards as well." Kakashi said.

"I'm going with you." Asuma stated.

"Me too." Shikaku added.

"I'm going." Shikamaru said with anger in his voice.

"You should stay here. You're not really a field ninja anymore. You're working as a Junior Advisor to the Council. I'll go and let you know what happens." Hurrio said.

"Junior Advisor or not I'm still a ninja and I'm going. I'm not leaving him in that place a second longer than he should be. Three years he's been in that hell being tortured, raped and forced to kill people. All because the people who claim to be his family didn't figure it out. I didn't figure it out. The last thing I'm doing is staying here and waiting for him to come home anymore." Shikamaru said with anger to his boyfriend.

"Seeing you though might make him more confused. It's been three years, he might not know how long it's been. Seeing you might make him confused. He could think that you are still together." Hurrio said back.

"So what?" Shikamaru said not seeing Hurro's point.

"So you're not and him thinking it won't be good for either of you." Hurrio said back.

"If Sasuke thinking that we are together still helps to get him out of there, then you're damn right I'll play along with it. Getting him out of there is what matters most. Getting him and his two kids out of there. If holding his hand and telling him I care is going to help make that happen, then I'm going to do it. It can be straightened out afterwards when he is in a safe place." Shikamaru argued back.

"Shikamaru is old enough to make that decision himself. If he wishes to go then he will. As his boyfriend it is your job to be supportive of him regardless of if you agree or not." Asuma said not liking how this conversation was going.

"Well I'm going with you." Yoshino said in her mother voice.

"You can't Hun. You are not a ninja. It is too dangerous to have you there. We don't know if these guards are trained in ninja skills or not." Shikaku said back gently.

"So you expect me to sit around here and wait?" Yoshino said with anger. "I can't do that. He named his little girl Yin. My nickname. I told him that once and he named her after me. I can't just do nothing." She added softly.

"Go to the hospital and help Tsunade get everything set up. I'm sure she would love all the help she can get. Pick up some dog food for Shadow he must be starving. Grab some clean clothes for the two children. The best thing you are is a mother, be a mother." Shikaku said gently.

Yoshino wiped a tear that came down her cheek as he spoke. "Alright. I'll get things ready for them. Will Sasuke be able to keep them?"

"Tsunade didn't know yet. She's not about to take them from Sasuke, but from what Hasan said we don't know if Sasuke will want to keep them. Hasan said that Sasuke was taking care of them more out of because it was the right thing to do compared to wanting to. There's a chance that Sasuke could hate them because of how they came about." Kakashi said sadly.

"Children that come from rape is always hard on the parents. There's a good chance that whenever Sasuke looks at them he remembers what happened. He could very well hate the sight of them. He could also love them and just not be able to handle that in the current situation they are in. We won't know until Sasuke is better unfortunately." Shikaku said.

"If he doesn't want them right now I'm bringing them home." Yoshino said.

"Hun." Shikaku started, but Yoshino cut him off.

"Do not hun me. Those children have been through enough in their short lives. I am not about to roll the dice of them getting a decent foster home. Not to mention they would be broken apart. Sasuke might not be able to handle having them right now, but he also might not always feel that way. He's traumatised himself and has his own problems he needs to work through and when he has he could hate himself forever for letting them go. I'm not about to do that to him or to those little children. So while you are out there finding them you work on accepting that." Yoshino said in a deadly tone.

"Yes dear." Shikaku said knowing better than to argue with his wife about something like this. He would just have to accept that he could be having two small children in his home until Sasuke was able to take them back or they were eighteen and moved out.

"I'll be at the hospital for when you get back." Yoshino said.

"Tsunade is going to meet us at the front gate with some milk for the baby and some food and water. She is also going to bring a sedative for me to give to Sasuke so he's asleep for the journey back. Hasan said he was in a lot of pain." Kakashi said,

"I'll go pack." Shikamaru said as he got up from the couch and headed upstairs.

"I'll come help." Hurrio said.

"No it's fine I got it. You should go home yourself and get ready. We need to leave." Shikamaru said.

"Okay. I'll see you at the front gate babe." Hurrio went to kiss Shikamaru, but Shikamaru stepped back as he spoke.

"Ya I'll see you there."

Shikamaru turned and headed for the stairs to get to his room. Hurrio headed out of the house and it was clear he wasn't happy about the rejection.

"That's a different side to him." Kakashi said, but he honestly wasn't sure it was. Kakashi hadn't spent much time with Hurrio as he had a hard time seeing Shikamaru with someone else.

"It was and it wasn't. Hurrio doesn't like it when Shikamaru goes out into the field. He was happy to hear that he received a position as a Junior Advisor for the Council. And he really doesn't like Uchiha, especially Sasuke." Shikaku said.

"Sasuke being back will test their relationship. Shikamaru never got over Sasuke and Hurrio hates him for no reason except that he's an Uchiha. I'm not sure they will survive this or if they should." Asuma said.

"They don't mesh as well as Sasuke and Shikamaru did. With those two it was like they had been with each other for lives already. Hurrio and Shikamaru don't have that connection no matter how hard they try. I hope they do breakup Shikamaru deserves someone better." Yoshino said.

"Don't get your hopes up. Even if they do breakup there is no guarantee that Sasuke and Shikamaru will get back together. Sasuke has been through a lot including multiple rapes. Doesn't matter it was by a female he is still a rape victim and that comes with its own problems. It's going to be a long time before Sasuke is able to handle being touched by someone again." Shikaku said.

"I know. But at least they can be friends again. They were good for each other. Sasuke brought out a strength in Shikamaru, a strength he didn't even know he had. They can at least rebuild that friendship." Yoshino said.

"They can and I am sure they will. I'll get ready and meet you at the front. Do you want me to round anyone up?" Asuma asked.

"Pakun is doing that now. If you see someone on the way mention it and see if they can join us. We don't know how many guards or victims there are. I'll also have a hound go and find Itachi and tell him to meet us at the hospital." Kakashi answered.

"That will be a sight to see." Shikaku said knowing the last time Sasuke was in the hospital Itachi was livid.

"It can't be helped. I can't keep this from him. I shouldn't keep this from him. Itachi will handle it and Sasuke will want to see him." Kakashi said.

"I'll get ready and meet you at the front gate." Asuma said as he got up.

"I'll head up and grab my things." Shikaku said as he headed for the stairs.

Kakashi made a seal and brought forth his best tracking hound. Once the instructions were given the hound took off to fulfill his orders. Shikamaru went straight to his room and closed the door. He placed his back against the door and closed his eyes as he fought back the tears. He couldn't believe that after three years he would find out that Sasuke was being held captive the whole time. That he had not only been tortured and forced to kill people, but had been raped and fathered two children. Shikamaru felt like he couldn't breathe. To know that Sasuke, the man that he once loved three years ago, had been going through hell while he was with another man. While he was kissing and lying next to another man. Shikamaru knew it wasn't logical. He knew that he didn't know that Sasuke didn't leave willingly. Yet he still felt like he had been cheating on Sasuke, on the man that he loved. It made no sense, but even after three years of believing that Sasuke left on his own, left him, he still felt for him. He still cared about him and he didn't know how he felt about Hurrio anymore. He thought that he loved him, but now with this new information Shikamaru wasn't so sure.

Shikamaru heard and felt the knock on his door. Shikamaru wiped at his cheeks to get rid of the few tears that leaked out before he turned and opened the door. Shikaku was standing on the other side and he gave his son a small sympathetic smile as he could tell that Shikamaru had been crying some. Shikaku walked in and closed the door behind him. He pulled his son into his arms and Shikamaru wrapped his arms around his dad. They stood there for a few moments just offering comfort to each other before Shikamaru moved back and wiped his cheeks once again.

"I feel like I betrayed him. I know I didn't know the truth, but I still feel like I betrayed him. I loved him and I thought that he left willingly. I thought the worst in him instead of fighting for him. And then what do I do? I start dating someone else for a year. All while he is in that hell being tortured and raped. And here I am kissing and lying next to another man. I feel like I've cheated on him and it's crazy and stupid because we aren't together and I didn't know the truth. Yet I feel like this and I don't know what to do. I don't know how I feel about either of them now." Shikamaru ranted and his father could hear just how conflicted he was.

"First of all, you didn't betray him. You didn't know he was kidnapped, none of us did. If anyone should have thought to rethink the situation it should have been the four adults in the situation. You were thirteen, it wasn't your responsibility or job to see the signs that something was wrong. Second of all, Sasuke would understand that you moved on in your life. He wouldn't have wanted you to go around being miserable for these past three years, especially because you didn't know the truth. Now you do and now it's confusing because all of your past feelings for Sasuke are coming back to you. The best thing you can do right now is to block it out and focus on getting Sasuke and those kids to the hospital. After that you can take the time to figure it all out. Don't make any decisions now, not when you are too emotional to think clearly Son." Shikaku said.

"You're right. It's not time for this right now. We need to get to them before they are hurt more or too sick to make it. The rest can be figured out later. It's going to take nine hours to get to them." Shikamaru said as he forced his mind to focus on what needed to be done more than anything.

"Just over eight if we can all push it. The sooner we leave the better. I'm going to pack my pouch and when you are ready we can head out." Shikaku said.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"I'll meet you downstairs. I love you Son."

"I love you too Dad."

Shikaku headed out of the room and down to his so he could get everything ready. The father in him was screaming for them to get going and get on the road. They were easily eight hours away, assuming they didn't run into trouble along the way. Not to mention they only had a rough idea where a grate was for them to get in. They didn't even have a set location. They had a long road ahead of them and the sooner they got on that road the better off Sasuke and those two kids would be. Once Kakashi, Shikamaru and Shikaku were ready they headed out and made their way towards the front gate. They didn't know if anyone would be there yet, but they wanted to be there so when the ninety minutes were up they could leave. Just as they expected they were the first ones there and they had no choice, but to wait for the others to arrive. It was a long forty minutes but they finally had all of Sasuke's old comrades here at the front gate along with Gai, Asuma and Hurrio. They were all waiting for an explanation with the exception of Asuma and Hurrio. Kakashi figured now was as good of a time as any to give them the brief update.

"As the majority of you are wondering what the situation is I'll tell you before the others arrive, assuming anymore are coming. Three years ago Sasuke was declared a missing-nin when I found a letter he wrote and his forehead protector in his room. Turns out we were wrong. That night Sasuke was kidnapped and the letter was placed there as a means of distracting us." Kakashi started.

"What?" Naruto asked shocked and confused.

"Are you sure?" Gai asked.

"The information came from a young boy who was trapped with Sasuke for the past two months. It's some sort of fighting ring with kidnapped teenagers both males and females. It's a long story, but basically Sasuke was drugged three years ago in his room and then taken to the facility that he is being held in now. Shadow is also still with him. Why they didn't kill the dog I don't know maybe they thought they could train it to kill I don't know, but he is still alive and so is Sasuke. For the first three months all captives are tortured so they are too weak to fight back and too afraid to. Each captive is held in a small room with a thin and dirty mattress on the floor. They have a collar around their neck that is attached to a chain in the middle of the room. Once the captive is broken in the men pick two and bring everyone to a fighting pit. Everyone watches as two male captives are forced to fight to the death. If they refuse one of the guards will kill both of them to teach the rest of the captives a lesson. Sasuke has had to kill other teenagers in order to survive. The best fighters are then drugged and chained to a bed. The female captives are drugged and given fertility drugs. They then proceed to have sex with the male until they become pregnant by them. Once the baby is born they kill the mothers." Kakashi said.

"That's disgusting." Ino said with rage in her voice.

"And Sasuke's been there this whole time?" Naruto asked with hurt in his voice.

"He has. He also has two children. A two year old boy named Kai and an eight month old daughter named Yin." Kakashi said sadly.

"Oh God. He was…" Sakura said with tears in her eyes.

"He was." Kakashi said softly.

"How are the children? And Sasuke physically? Did this other captive know?" Neji asked.

"They were in the same room together. From what he could tell the children were both rundown and getting sick or already sick. He said they didn't cry so something is wrong with them on some level. He said that they got food every three weeks and water every three days. Sasuke would give his food to his children when he could. Sasuke is very sick and close to dying. He has pneumonia, memory problems and confusion. His hands shake and his legs will go numb and tingle. He can barely stand on them. He's no longer fighting they are just waiting for him to die. They had been giving him a shot once a week to help clot his blood, but the young man said it didn't work very well. Sasuke still bled a lot. They may have stopped giving him the drug as they don't wish to fight him anymore."

"If they aren't giving him that shot he doesn't have long. His body won't clot his blood naturally and it will turn to water basically. It will damage his organs and he only has one kidney. If his kidney is in failure he could die before we could ever get him another one. The confusion and memory problems could be a concussion to even brain damage from repeated hits to the head. Once you add in the fact that he isn't on the right medication it could cause bleeding in his brain. His legs not working properly could mean his previous injury is irritated or he's losing feeling in them and slowly becoming paralyzed from repeated nerve damage. It could also be why his hands shake. Add in being exhausted, malnourished and dehydrated, he doesn't have long left. How long ago did this other captive leave?" Sakura asked with worry.

"Three days ago. He was able to escape thanks to Sasuke and he went straight to his village as it was closer. He went to the hospital and then he came here with his father. Sasuke's location is roughly nine hours away." Kakashi answered.

"That doesn't leave us much time to get Sasuke the help he needs. Not to mention those children could die at any moment. His daughter is still young enough her lungs could simply stop working. If she is sick she's at an even greater risk of that happening." Sakura said.

"Would cold make it worse?" Kakashi asked with concern.

"Absolutely. The cold will repress a person's body and blood. It will make them breathe slower as it gets colder and colder. It's why when someone is found in the middle of winter with no pulse you have to wait until they are back up to normal temperature to declare them dead. The body goes into a hibernation in a way. The smaller the body the faster it happens and the harder it is to get them back once they are at normal temperature." Sakura said.

"The young man said the room was cold. That Shadow would lay on the kids to keep them warm. Sasuke's lips were also slightly blue." Kakashi said now more worried than ever.

"Then we need to leave now and get there to start warming them all up. Literally every second counts for their lives right now." Sakura said.

"Tsunade is on her way here to bring me a sedative for Sasuke and some supplies for the others. We also have to wait for the rest to arrive. Once we hit twenty minutes from now we're going." Kakashi said.

"Even if Tsunade is here first you get what you need and go. We can wait for the rest and follow behind you." Gai said.

Kakashi gave a nod as now everyone knew just exactly what was at stake here.

"What about Itachi? Does he know?" Kiba asked slightly worried.

"I sent a hound to let him know we found Sasuke and to meet us back at the hospital. I didn't tell him anything more than that." Kakashi answered.

"That'll be a fun conversation." Kiba said more to himself.

"How many guards and captives?" Gai asked.

"The young man wasn't sure. Sasuke thought at least a hundred captives and just as many guards if not more. I have a map from the young man of where he escaped from. He came out of a water grate it's not ideal, but if we can find the grate we can at least get into the facility. It's underground somewhere as the walls were made of dirt. That's all we know right now." Kakashi said.

"Twenty minutes then we get him back. He's been there too long already. I'm not about to let him die in that place or his kids." Naruto said as he started to move around ready to get going.

"What is going to happen to his kids? I mean he's not going to keep them right?" Ino asked slightly unsure if she should.

"Why wouldn't he?" Tenten asked.

"Because he was raped and had them forced onto him. They have to be bringing up bad and painful memories for him. There's no way I could do it." Ino said back.

"It's not the children's fault what happened to Sasuke or the situation they are in." Neji said.

"I know that. I do. My point was if Sasuke could handle looking at them and not someone else." Ino said.

"Or if he's even stable enough to. I mean he's going to be sick and in the hospital for who knows how long. He's not going to be able to take care of them." Chouji said.

"He shouldn't be taking care of them. Uchiha really should stick to not having kids. They deserve a home with a mother and father and not in one with a mass murderer like Uchiha Itachi. They deserve a better life than that." Hurrio said.

"Itachi was on a mission he did what he had to do." Naruto argued. He didn't exactly like Itachi but he was Sasuke's older brother so Naruto was trying to move passed what happened while Itachi was on a mission.

"He still slaughtered his whole family, including other children. He should never be around children. Those kids deserve better." Hurro said.

"Ya, but those kids have only ever known that world and Sasuke. We're taking them out of that world, how would it be fair to take them away from the only parent they have ever known?" Kiba said.

"The one is two and the other isn't even a year. They won't remember him." Hurrio said.

"That doesn't seem fair though." Kiba said.

"What's not fair is having this conversation right now. Sasuke has literally been in hell for three years while we've gone about our lives. He doesn't deserve us all standing here debating on if he should or shouldn't keep his kids. His kids. His son and his daughter. We're talking about children here. Sasuke's children that he's had to raise and try to keep alive for two years now. All while being tortured, raped and forced to kill other teenagers, some of which have most likely been younger than him. We're supposed to be his comrades he doesn't need us debating on if he should be allowed to have his kids after this. He needs us to get him and his kids out of there. He needs us to support whatever he decides to do about his kids. They're human beings. He doesn't deserve us having this conversation. So unless it's about being supportive of him or coming up with a way to get them to Konoha faster, shut the hell up." Shikamaru finally snapped.

Everyone was shocked, including his father. They had never heard Shikamaru yell or snap before. Shikamaru was lazy and laid back by nature, he always had been. He didn't snap at people. He went with the flow and was very easy going. This was a clear sign to them just what stress this situation was taking on Shikamaru and he was the closet to Sasuke before this happened. They had dated for six months. This was a lot on Shikamaru especially when you factor in Sasuke have two kids now.

"This is why I wanted you to stay behind. You're too close to this. You're too emotional you can't make a non-biased judgement right now. It's too dangerous for you to be out in the field." Hurrio said gently to Shikamaru.

"I'm going it's just that simple. I'm emotional because he is my friend and I abandoned him when he needed someone there for him. I knew him the best. I should have known something was wrong. But I didn't and he paid for that. I'm not about to abandon him again. I'm going just accept it." Shikamaru said in a tone that was clear he was dismissing the rest of the conversation.

"Sasuke and those two children is the main priority. They are mine, Shikamaru's, Shikaku's, Sakura's and Naruto's priority. The rest of you and anyone else that shows will focus on the rest of the captives and getting them back to Konoha. My group will get Sasuke and his kids and get them back to Konoha. They are top priority and that is coming right from Tsunade." Kakashi said.

They all gave a nod and stood there waiting for when the others would arrive so they could get going. They all just wanted to go and get to Sasuke and those kids. They had to get them out of there and back to the hospital before it was too late. Over the next fifteen minutes ninjas began to gather around the front gate. By the time Tsunade arrived there was sixty ninja standing there waiting to discover where they were going. Tsunade went over to Kakashi and handed him a small bag with some supplies in it as she spoke.

"There is some water and bottles in here. As well as a few granola bars for the little boy. The sedative is in there. It's a pill that he'll need to swallow, but it will only take seconds to kick in. He'll be asleep for a good twelve hours."

Kakashi took the pack as he spoke.

"I explained to a few of them what is happening. I've been waiting to explain it to everyone else. I don't know what you want everyone to know."

"I'll take care of it." Tsunade said as she turned her attention to the large group of ninjas, eight of which were ANBU.

"New information has come to us less than two hours ago. Uchiha Sasuke was kidnapped from his home three years ago. He did not leave willingly. He was taken by an unknown organization. What we do know is roughly where they are located approximately nine hours from here between the Cloud village and Ice village. He is being held with other captives. We do not know how many other captives there are. From the information we have gathered there could be a hundred or more teenagers both males and females. There may also be small children with some of them. There are at least a hundred guards in this facility. They are using the male captives as fighters. They fight them against each other until death. The female captives they use as breeders. They have the females rape the males until they become pregnant and once they have given birth they are killed. Kakashi and his squad will focus on bringing Sasuke back to Konoha. The rest of you will be responsible for the other captives. Bring them back to Konoha, even if they are dead. We will identify them and find their families. Let's shut this organization down and free these teenagers. Kakashi is in charge. Good luck." Tsunade said.

"We don't know how large this facility is. Divide up in groups and when we arrive stay with your group. I want the facility checked over three times to ensure we haven't left anyone behind. We need to hurry. Every second they are not in a hospital their chances of death increase. Let's go." Kakashi said.

None of them needed to be told twice. They all took to the trees and pushed as fast and as hard as they could to reach the facility faster. There were a great deal of lives on the line, including one of their own. They weren't about to fail any of them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was eight and a half hours later when they finally arrived at the water grate that Hasan had escaped out of. It was well hidden, but with the map they were able to find it.

"This is where we go in. We don't know where the main entrance is. We entre here, once inside try to locate the main entrance. It will be easier to get the captives out through it." Kakashi said.

Kakashi made a hand seal and summoned Pakun. The little dog appeared once again at Kakashi's feet.

"Once we get in I need you to find Sasuke or Shadow's scent." Kakashi explained.

"You got it boss." Pakun said.

Two ninja went and opened the grate and the ANBU went in first to take care of any guards that might be on the other side. Once the clear came Kakashi went in next followed by his group and then the others. There were no guards right there and Kakashi didn't know if that was because they weren't worried about someone getting in or if they had abandoned the facility. Pakun immediately put his nose to the ground and started smelling. He could smell a lot and he was trying to dig out which scent belonged to Sasuke or Shadow. After a minute they came to a divide in the tight hallway. Pakun smelt both sections before he went to the right as he spoke.

"It's faint. The pup that was at your place must have been around Sasuke long enough to pick up part of his scent."

"Everyone divide. Half go left and half of you go right." Kakashi whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear him.

They hadn't come across any guards yet and Kakashi was hoping to be able to keep the element of surprise. They continued down the hallways following Pakun's nose. The closer to the scent he got the faster he was going. They were now running down the hallway, still not having seen a single guard. When Pakun stopped in front of a thick metal door he spoke.

"In here Boss."

Kakashi tried the handle and he wasn't surprised that it was unlocked. According to Hasan there was no handle on the inside. Kakashi opened the door carefully as he didn't know where anyone was. Once it was open enough he walked in and he couldn't believe the sight that in front of him. The room itself was small and freezing. You could almost see your breath. There on the very thin and filthy mattress was a dirt covered Shadow. He was thin and looked weak, but he was still strong enough to stand up and growl and bark at the intrusion. Behind him was a very thin little boy in filthy clothes filled with holes. Next to the mattress sitting on the floor slightly angle towards the door was Sasuke. He had his legs slightly bent and they were covered in cuts and bruising. There was dry blood down the left side of his face. His left eye was swollen shut and his right was almost just as bad. His whole torso was covered in bruising and cuts. They could see each and every single rib and vertebrae on him. His hands were both torn and bloody. There was a metal collar around his neck with a chain attached to the floor. In his arms against his chest was a very small little baby girl. She was barely covered by a cloth it looked like. She didn't look healthy at all, none of them did. Kakashi went to take a step forward, but Shadow wasn't having it. He got off the bed and stood in front of the others and snapped and snarled at them.

"Shadow it's okay. It's me. I'm a friend." Kakashi said.

The problem was Shadow didn't remember them. He didn't remember their scent because he was so young when he was taken.

"Shadow stop. Come." Sasuke said weakly and they could all tell he was barely hanging on.

Shadow backed up and sat down in front of Sasuke.

"They're friends. Down." Sasuke said.

Shadow laid down, but kept his eyes on the others. Kakashi immediately went over to Sasuke and bent down. He removed his jacket as he spoke.

"It's okay Sasuke. I need to take her from you so Sakura can look her over."

Sasuke just gave a small nod and Kakashi picked up Yin and gently handed her over to Sakura. Shikamaru removed his jacket and handed it to Sakura so she could wrap up the baby. Naruto went and removed his own jacket and went over to Kai and placed it around him as he spoke.

"It's okay I'm not going to hurt you."

Kakashi removed his jacket and wrapped it around Sasuke's shoulders. He then went and began to pick the lock on the collar.

"I'm going to get this off from you. Just hang on." Kakashi said gently.

Sasuke spoke very softly that only Kakashi really heard it as he laid his head against the wall.

"Dad."

"I'm right here Son. I'm right here." Kakashi said softly back.

"I knew you would find me." Sasuke said weakly.

Kakashi got the collar off from Sasuke and Sasuke began to cough from finally being free from it. Kakashi opened the bag and took out the sedative and a water bottle. He went around so he was behind Sasuke and placed Sasuke's back against his chest.

"Open your mouth for me. This is a sedative it's going to put you to sleep so you don't get hurt on the journey home." Kakashi explained.

Sasuke slowly opened his mouth and Kakashi put the pill inside. He then opened the water bottle and held Sasuke take small sips. With that done he wrapped his arms around Sasuke gently and spoke again.

"Don't fight it just close your eyes and sleep. When you wake up you'll be safe in Konoha. All of you will be. Just sleep."

Sakura handed Yin to Shikamaru as she spoke.

"Keep her wrapped up and hold her to your chest to try and warm her up."

Sakura then turned her attention to Kai. He was shaking and clearly afraid of the group in the room.

"It's okay sweetie. I just want to look you over so we can get you and your sister and your daddy out of here." Sakura said gently.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Kai as he spoke. "It's okay she's going to make you feel better."

Sakura began looking the little boy over and checking him with her chakra. She wanted to make sure he would survive the trip to Konoha. Once she was confident that he would be alright she spoke.

"Naruto you carry him. When we get out of here he needs water and Yin needs milk. But you can do that while we travel."

"Come on little man. Let's get out of here." Naruto said as he picked up Kai.

"Both of you start heading out." Kakashi ordered.

Shikamaru and Naruto both looked at Sasuke who was now asleep in Kakashi's arms before they headed out of the room and back down the way they came. Shadow growled, not liking them being taken away.

"It's okay Shadow. They are friends. We're going with them." Kakashi said as Sakura bent down and started to look Sasuke over. She shook her head at the level of damage he was in.

"He's in real bad shape. There's not much I can do for him right now. He needs the hospital and probably surgery. His kidney isn't working very well and he's bleeding internally. I can slow it down, but he needs a hospital. We have maybe eleven hours before he's too far gone." Sakura said sadly.

"We better hurry." Kakashi said as he moved and picked up Sasuke bridal style.

Shadow stood up as Kakashi moved Sasuke and they all headed out of the room and back down the hallway. They didn't know where the main entrance was so they just headed back the way they came. Shadow kept up with them, but it was clear he was sore and tired as he struggled to walk and keep up with the pace. Shikaku walked a little slower so he could stay with Shadow as he didn't need to rush back to Konoha like the others did. Once they reached the grate they all got out and Shikaku got out first as Kakashi passed Sasuke to him through the grate. Once Shikaku had Sasuke, Kakashi grabbed Shadow and helped the dog out before he himself got out. Once he was through the grate Kakashi picked Sasuke up once again and they took off as fast as their body could allow them.

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It took them nine hours to finally get back to the village. After an hour Shikaku had to pick up Shadow as the tired and starving dog couldn't handle it anymore and he had collapsed. Shikaku had given Shadow some water and one of the granola bars that they brought with them. Naruto had fed one to Kai with a water bottle and Shikamaru had fed Yin three bottles now while they were running. They all knew they were on a clock; that Sasuke's life was on a clock. By the time they arrived at the hospital Tsunade was there at the front door waiting for them. Along with a team of nurses and Yoshino. The second they were close enough Tsunade spoke as Yoshino went over to them.

"Get Sasuke in exam room one. Sakura, take the children and bring them to the Pediatric wing. Place Yin in an incubator immediately. I want full blood panels for both children as well as scans done whether you think they may need it or not." Tsunade ordered as they entered the hospital.

"Yes Sensei." Sakura said as she took off for the pediatric wing with a couple nurses behind her, and Naruto still carrying Kai.

Kakashi placed Sasuke down on the bed as he spoke.

"Sakura said he was bleeding internally and his kidney wasn't working properly. She said he had maybe eleven hours of life left."

"Let's get his blood taken and an I.V bag going. Make it wide open. I need all of the O negative blood we have and get me a shot to start clotting his blood." Tsunade said as she went to go and check Sasuke out.

Shadow wasn't having any of it though. He jumped out of Shikaku's arms and onto the bed. He stood right over Sasuke's body and started snarling and snapping at everyone that came close to him.

"That's a mean dog." One of the nurses said with fear in her voice as she backed away.

"Shadow, you need to let these nice women work on Sasuke. He's sick Shadow. He needs help Shadow." Kakashi said in as calm of a voice as he could manage.

Sasuke didn't have much longer they didn't have time for this. At the same time though Shadow was traumatised himself and just trying to protect Sasuke from strangers. Kakashi approached the bed with his hands up. He had dealt with traumatised dogs before and he knew they just needed time.

"Shadow he's dying. It's okay they can save him. Shadow down boy. We'll get you some food and get you cleaned up and then you can be with Sasuke. Shadow down." Kakashi ordered.

Shadow hesitated, but he took to the order like he was trained to and got off from the bed. Kakashi immediately held onto Shadow so he couldn't go back on the attack. Tsunade and the nurses went to work and they worked fast to do everything they could to save Sasuke's life.

"How is he?" Yoshino asked from the doorway where she had been watching the whole time.

"He needs surgery, but with his blood not getting the proper medication it's risky. We don't have a choice I need to operate and try and save his kidney. Let's get him hooked up to the IVs and the blood we need to move now." Tsunade said as she unlocked the wheels of the hospital bed.

The one nurse hung the bag of IV and they all ran out of there and took Sasuke down the hallway and out of sight. Kakashi stood up and Shadow whimpered with Sasuke now being gone. Kakashi petted his head to try and comfort him.

"It's okay boy. He's going to be okay."

"You got him here that's all that matters. I'm going to go and check in on the children and see if there is anything I can do to help." Yoshino said.

"I'll see if there is anything that the nurses need help getting ready. They are about to get slammed." Shikaku said.

"I'll help too." Shikamaru said.

"I will after I take care of Shadow. I need to get some food and water into him and get him cleaned up." Kakashi said as he continue to pet Shadow.

"I guess this is all we can do for now. Just wait and try to help anyone else who comes in." Shikamaru said still feeling lost and remorseful.

"It's all we can do until Sasuke is out of surgery. There will be plenty to help him with once he's out of surgery and awake." Shikaku said to his son.

"Pakun, can you go and tell Iruka what's happening and that I'm at the hospital please." Kakashi said.

"Sure thing Boss. The pups are gonna be okay. They're in good hands now." Pakun said trying to comfort his owner.

"Thanks." Kakashi said.

Pakun took off and Yoshino spoke.

"I'll go and stay with the children. Hopefully they will be okay."

"Sakura is very talented. I'm sure she is doing everything she can." Shikaku said.

"I'm sure she is. I'll come find you when I know something." Yoshino said.

Shikaku gave a nod and Yoshino headed out of the room and down to the Pediatric wing of the hospital. Shikaku, Shikamaru, Kakashi and Shadow headed out of the room. Kakashi took Shadow off to an empty bathroom to get him cleaned up before he would give him a small amount of food and water to start getting his stomach back up to normal. Shikaku and Shikamaru headed over to the Nurses' Station to help them in any way that they could. They knew it was going to be a long wait and the hospital was going to get very busy once the first group returns with the captives.

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It was three hours later when Hurrio walked into the hospital. He had been with one of the last few groups to leave the facility. When he walked into the hospital he couldn't believe how busy it was already and there was still more captives to come. Not to mention about ten other small children. It was going to be a very busy couple of weeks while they figured out who was who and where their family was, assuming they even had one. Hurrio hated these types of things. He loved going on missions, but he hated having to deal with families and victims. He just wanted to go in, save the day and then go home to collect his pay cheque. He cared about people's safety and well-fare, but only to a certain extent. He didn't need to be there during the healing process or even helping it out. Hurrio was really looking forward to seeing Shikamaru and getting out of here. The captives were now at the hospital so his job was done, their job was done. Now they could go grab something to eat and get some sleep.

Hurrio saw Shikamaru standing off in a waiting room with his father, Kakashi and the rest of their group of friends. There was also a rather large dog there that Hurrio figured was one of Kakashi's. Hurrio walked over and into the room and headed straight for Shikamaru. He didn't get very close to him when Shadow started to bark and snarl at him.

"Control your dog Kakashi." Hurrio said.

"He's not mine. He's Sasuke's and it appears he really doesn't like you." Kakashi simply said.

"If he's aggressive like this he should be put down. It's not safe for him to be in the village." Hurrio said without a slight bit of care.

"He's not aggressive he's just traumatised. He was with Sasuke the whole time in that place. He just needs some time to heal himself. Shadow its okay. He's a friend." Shikamaru said with exhaustion in his voice.

Shadow growled once more clearly voicing his opinion in the matter before he went and sat down right in front of Shikamaru and kept his eyes on Hurrio.

"How many more victims did you bring in?" Naruto asked.

"My squad and I had thirty. There was still three squads behind me. The flow in is almost over. The whole facility was empty when I left and there never was a guard there." Hurrio answered.

"They either left them unguarded knowing they couldn't escape or they took off once Hasan got away. Either way we'll need to search and find them. Hopefully Sasuke or one of these other captives will be able to give us more information on them." Iruka said knowing what has happened after speaking with Kakashi.

"For now the mission is over. Why don't we go grab something to eat Babe and then you can head home. You're tired." Hurrio said gently to Shikamaru.

"I'm not going anywhere. I need to know how Sasuke and the kids are doing." Shikamaru automatically said.

"Here comes Sakura now." Neji said as he saw Sakura walking towards the room.

Everyone turned their attention to Sakura as she walked into the room and over to them.

"How are they?" Kakashi asked.

"They are going to make it. It's a miracle in itself, but they are both going to be alright with some love and rest. Yoshino is with them now. I have them both in the same room. Yin is in an incubator still until her body temperature can stay up in a safe range. She's having a more difficult time keeping it up on her own. It's normal though considering where she has always been and the temperature in the room. She is dehydrated and malnourished, but not too badly. It seems like the guards had an interest in keeping the infants and children fed, not well fed, but fed enough to fight off illnesses and survive. She doesn't have any injuries and her scans came back clean. She is an otherwise healthy baby girl. Kai is also healthy and doesn't have any injuries. He is very thin and there seems to be some stunted development in the way of talking and walking really. He's not talking and he doesn't walk very well on his own. He doesn't have much strength in his legs and that is just from not being fed enough and having the chance to walk around. He doesn't have any mental problems though so he will learn very fast once he is healed up. Both of them are suffering from lack of sunlight and the vitamins it gives off. We have them on IV's to help with that and the dehydration. The kids will be okay though with some love. Yoshino has given them both a bath and into some clean new clothes. She gave them both a blanket and a stuffed animal. She's reading to them now with Kai half asleep in her lap. I don't see her leaving any time soon." Sakura said with a small smile.

"I knew she wouldn't be the second her eyes laid upon those little ones." Shikaku said.

"They're going to be okay though? Aside from some late development." Shikamaru asked looking for confirmation that Sasuke's children would be alright.

"Yes they will be fine from what we can tell. Now they are children so they will still get sick along the way. But from what happened to them they just need rest and slowly get used to food and being active." Sakura confirmed.

"Shouldn't the boy know how to walk even with the room being small? I saw the rooms there was enough room for a little boy to walk around in. Isn't it more likely that Sasuke just didn't care to teach him?" Hurrio said.

"Considering Sasuke was constantly injured and his legs being too weak to support himself most of the time. Not to factor in the chain he was attached to. I'm going to say that it wasn't because Sasuke didn't care enough to teach his son, but the fact that he couldn't physically handle anymore than what he was already being forced to do. Kai will learn how to walk and run properly very quickly. Just like he will learn how to talk. It's not that easy to teach a child when you barely have the strength to keep your eyes open." Sakura said in Sasuke's defense.

"What about the other children? Do you know if they are healthy?" Iruka asked.

"I'm not sure yet I haven't seen them all. I am going back there to check them over. From what I have gathered from the nurses it's a lot of the same thing. They need rest, food and water and they will be fine. A good number of them are having late development issues as well. The environment was just not healthy enough for the children to thrive. And again the parents looking after them are too weak to do much of anything extra. There are a lot of victims right now that we are just trying to prioritize and get through." Sakura answered.

"What about Sasuke? Have you heard anything?" Shikamaru asked.

"Not yet. I'm sure Tsunade will be out soon with some news. If it's alright I need to get back to work. It's going to be a long few days." Sakura said.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Kiba asked.

"The nurse are trying to keep up with the demand and finding out who everyone is. If you want to help the nurses out by going around with some paper and getting what information you can from the victims that would help. We could use some help in Peds with just holding the children while we look them over. A lot of them are terrified." Sakura answered.

"I'll come help with the kids." Tenten said.

"Me too." Ino said.

"I'll come as well." Hinata added.

"I'll go help a nurse with taking down some information." Kiba said.

"We all will." Gai said.

Shikamaru stood up as he spoke. "Come on Shadow."

"Babe you really should get something to eat and get some sleep. You know the children will be fine now." Hurrio said.

"I'm not leaving. Not while Sasuke is in surgery or while there are still close to a hundred victims in here that need their family. You go if you want, but I'm not leaving anytime soon." Shikamaru said.

"I'm not leaving you here." Hurrio said.

"Come on Shadow let's go see who we can help." Shikamaru said.

"Should he be around victims or children? He's not exactly the most stable of dogs." Hurrio said.

"He'll be fine. He only acts that way when he thinks someone is dangerous or around Sasuke. He knows these are victims and need protecting." Shikamaru answered.

"I'll stay close to you just in case something happens." Kakashi said to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru gave a nod and everyone got up and went about helping wherever they could. Some went with Sakura to help out with the children while the others went around to see which nurse they could help and how many victims they could identify. Hurrio stayed by Shikamaru, but he was not happy about it. He didn't see how dealing with victims that were safe was his responsibility. He did his job by getting them safe and here. He didn't need to be here. This was a nurse's job, not the job of a ninja like himself. Yet Shikamaru was stubborn and refusing to leave until he knew how Sasuke was doing so Hurrio was stuck here until then. All he could do was hope the time would go by fast and then he could leave with his boyfriend.

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It was a long six hours before Tsunade finally came out of surgery. She headed down to the waiting room to see if she could find everyone. She didn't know if they would be all over helping or not. When she got there she saw them all spread out throughout the emergency room helping different people.

"Kakashi." Tsunade called out.

Kakashi and the others turned to see Tsunade standing there. Tsunade gave a nod in the direction of an empty waiting room. Tsunade headed over to it while the others quickly told their captive that they would be right back. They all went into the waiting room, except for Yoshino and Sakura who were still with the children. Once everyone was in the waiting room Kakashi spoke.

"How is he?"

"He's alive. It was close, too close, but he's going to make it. He's got a lot of problems though and a long road a head of him on many levels." Tsunade said with exhaustion in her voice.

"What are his injuries?" Shikamaru asked slightly afraid to find out.

"What aren't his injuries would be a shorter list. His throat is severely bruised from the collar. He'll barely be able to whisper for a good couple of weeks and then after that his voice will still be hoarse. It will always be slightly hoarse for the rest of his life and the more he talks the softer his voice will get. The collar did permanent damage to his vocal cords. His left hand is broken and in a brace along with his left wrist. He punched more with his left than he did with his right from what I can tell. Why when he is right handed, my best guess would be because he was dominate on his right hand he didn't want to risk damaging it and not be able to take care of Kai and Yin. His right hand is swollen and bruised. His four main knuckles are broken and his hand will be sore to move for a good week. He is covered in bruising and both wrists and ankles have bruising around them from being chained down. There is also scaring so Sasuke fought back against the restraints. I ran his blood and took a hair sample so I could see which drugs were given to him. The only sedative was when he was first taken. There was sexual enhancement drugs in him some as recent as three days ago. He was awake and aware during every time he was raped."

"He was raped three days ago?" Naruto said sadly.

"He was. Every female captive is being tested for pregnancy. If one is then we can run a DNA to see who the father is. We'll know in a week if there is another baby on the way. However, most of the girls that are able to from what I have heard are looking to terminate their pregnancy. We may never know if Sasuke has fathered another child right now or not. He has enough to deal with so it's probably for the best. He also has ten broken ribs. I've healed them, but they are going to be very sore for the next three weeks while the bruising around them heals. He has cuts all over his body most of them were partly healed and they didn't bleed much, but they would have been painful. He has whip lashes across his back. Twenty of them right now. I've healed them as best as I could, but again they will be very sore and they will scar. He has about two hundred scars on his body varying in different sizes. He has some damage done to his spine."

"What type of damage?" Kakashi asked.

"He has Degenerative Disc Disorder. Simply put the discs in between his vertebrae are getting weaker and fading away. The discs work so that you can move freely without pain. With Sasuke he already has four discs completely gone and the rest are getting weaker. It's from the conditions he has been living in. It's taken a toll on his body. Lack of food and water has made his bones weaker, same as lack of sunlight. Add in the abuse and constant whipping and it's weakened his spine. It's serious at his age. With it he will have constant back pain on some level each and every day. It will get worse if he is running or walking for long periods of time. Physical activities can be painful and it will flare up. Some days he might barely be able to get out of bed with it. With pain medication it can be controlled, but it will get worse as he gets older."

"Is there any way to make it better?" Kakashi asked.

"Back surgery. I would need to operate on his back and place metal discs in his back where the ones that are missing or too weak currently are. However, he is in no condition to survive a surgery like that. Not to mention that until his body is fully healthy and strong his body will just reject the discs or he'll get an infection and he won't be able to fight it off. Surgery will need to happen at some point, but I would like to make sure he is strong enough to handle it. He also won't be able to do much for two months afterwards. It's not something that I see being able to happen in the next six months."

"Is that what is wrong with his legs?" Shikaku asked.

"No it's not. His previous injury is acting up because of the condition his body is in and again the whipping to his back. His legs will get better and stronger as he does. They will be weak so he will need to walk with a cane again. His left leg was broken in three spots and it didn't heal perfectly. It's too late for me to be able to fix it. I would have to break it in those three places again for it to heal properly. It's not worth the added pain. His leg will be able to function normally it will just be easier to break if hit in those places. If he was going to be a ninja I would be concerned, but with the DDD he can't physically be one. There is no point in causing him more pain at this point. He has pneumonia and a pretty severe case of it. He's had it for a good six months now. His lungs are a little weak right now and I have him on an oxygen line to help him breathe. I've drained the fluid from both of his lungs and he is on an anti-biotic IV to help fight it off and any other infection he might have. His kidney is damaged. It's not failing just yet, but it was very close. He will need dialysis three times a week for a few months to clean his blood out until his kidney is able to strengthen back up and function normally. He had massive internal bleeding from his liver. He was hit too many times and it was damaged. I had to remove three quarters of his liver just to save his life. The bleeding was made worse by Sasuke not having a spleen and not been given his medication. The liver is the only organ that will repair and regrow. In a few months his liver will be back to normal size. But for right now his eyes are yellow and his skin has a slight yellow tint to it. That is from his liver and not getting any sun for three years. With time and vitamins his skin will go back to normal. Don't be alarmed though if some days there is more of a yellow tint than normal. It's from his liver healing. He does have thirty stitches just underneath his belly button from the surgery. When he is awake he will need to be careful with moving around for a few days until they are healed."

"Please tell me that is all of his injuries." Iruka said sadly.

"Not quite. His hands shake because of the level of exhaustion in his body. He is weak and that is making his hands shake. His left eye is swollen shut and his eye socket is bruised. He will have a black eye for a good couple of months and at times his vision could be blurry out of it. He took thirteen stitches to the side of his head for the cut. He has a severe concussion as well as bruising in his brain. He also has temporary brain damage from the number of blows to his head over the past three years. The brain damage will go away within the next six months roughly. But with those three conditions he is going to be very confused. He will suffered memory problems and be forgetful. He will get severe headaches and migraines. He'll get dizzy spells and have days where he can't even get out of bed. Realistically for a good six months he can't be left alone. He could accidently hurt himself or one of the children. He could forget to feed them or to turn the stove off. It seems silly, but with those three conditions his mind just can't be trusted right now. He will also get very easily overwhelmed right now. Not to mention the mental and emotional problems he will have from the trauma. He could get anxiety or panic attacks. He could get flashbacks, locked memories where he believes he is actually back in that place and can even see and smell it. It will be like it is happening perfectly all over again. He could get phantom pain from it as well. I really don't want to say he can't be trusted alone, but he can't. Especially with the little ones. Until his mind starts to heal he needs supervision twenty-four seven I'm afraid." Tsunade said knowing just how much of a demand that would be for someone.

"So he goes to some facility when he is released from here. What about the children?" Hurrio asked.

"He's not going to a facility." Kakashi said with pure anger in his voice at just the suggestion of it.

"He needs around the clock care basically for six months. A care facility would be best for him." Hurrio said.

"I can be there for him and take care of him. I'm not shipping him off to some facility. He's severely injured and traumatised I'm not going to abandon him somewhere. He needs to be home." Kakashi said.

"And the children? And your responsibility of being a ninja? What about that?" Hurrio said.

"Until I am told by Sasuke otherwise, the children will be with me while I am there for him or with Itachi. Once Itachi arrives we can discuss it. My responsibility is to Sasuke. The village will be fine without me. We are at peace after all." Kakashi said with an edge to his voice. He was really starting to not like Shikamaru's new boyfriend.

"Yoshino and I will help as well." Shikaku said.

"Ya me too." Naruto said.

"We all will. Sasuke is our friend and comrade. You help your friends and comrades." Gai said.

"Until I am told by Sasuke, he has custody of his children. It will be up to him what he decides. The problem is legally until his brain injuries have healed I can't take him at his word. If he doesn't want them legally they will still be his until he can make that decision with a healthy brain. They can go to family if Sasuke doesn't even want them in the same house as him. I don't see that happening though." Tsunade said.

"Yoshino has already decided that we are taking them should Sasuke not want to." Shikaku said.

"I believe that Sasuke will try and do what is right and keep them. I think it is going to be a long road though. And he might not realise how much he cares and loves them until they are gone. It might be better if you did take them so he has the chance to miss them and realise that he loves them and wants to be there for them. I could be wrong though and Sasuke might not want to ever see them again. They became a part of his hell it's natural to want to be rid of anything that reminds him of that. He's going to be in the hospital for at least three weeks until he is physically healthy enough to leave. The children won't need to be here that long. Where they go that will be up to Sasuke or Itachi as he is legally next of kin right now. Figuring that part out will have to wait until Sasuke is awake and Itachi is here."

"A problem for another day." Kakashi said.

"Very much so." Tsunade agreed.

"Can we see him?" Shikamaru asked.

"A few of you can. He is still open to getting an infection so I would like to limit who goes in there with him. He won't be awake for a good eight hours at least right now. He's in a private room and I have two cots in there as well. There is also a private bathroom again as well. I put two cots in the children's room as well. From what I have heard Yoshino is not leaving any time soon." Tsunade said.

"That's fine. We can sleep in the children's room tonight." Shikaku said.

"What about Shadow?" Shikamaru asked.

"For now he can stay with Sasuke. As long as he doesn't attack anyone then it'll be fine. I have a feeling Sasuke will need him once he is awake." Tsunade said.

"I'll make sure he behaves." Kakashi said.

"Try and get some sleep yourself while Sasuke is sleeping. He'll be out for at least eight hours and much like last time he won't be awake for long. He's on pain medication that is being administered through his IV for now until we are better able to see just how bad the pain is in his back. He might try to fight it to stay awake, but he needs to just relax and let himself go under. The more sleep he gets the faster his body will heal." Tsunade said.

"I'll make sure he sleeps." Kakashi reassured Tsunade.

"I still have a long night ahead of me. I'll check in throughout the night on both Sasuke and his children. Sasuke is in room 314 and the children are in room 18 in the Pediatric Wing." Tsunade said.

Kakashi gave a nod and Tsunade turned and headed back towards one of the rooms with victims in it. She would be very busy along with the rest of the doctors and nurses for the next couple of days.

"I'm going to go back and help identify some of the victims. I'll come by later to check in on Sasuke. I'll give you guys some time with him alone first." Kiba said.

"We should get you home Babe. It's been a long couple of days for you." Hurrio said to Shikamaru.

"Not yet. You can go if you want. I'm going to sit with Sasuke for a while." Shikamaru said.

"He's going to just be sleeping Babe. You can come back tomorrow sometime and see him. He doesn't need you sitting there all night just watching him." Hurrio said not even interested in being stuck here any longer.

He wanted to grab some dinner go home take a shower and sleep. He wanted to be doing that with Shikamaru. They hadn't had much of a chance to do anything in the past month with him being on missions and Shikamaru being busy with his work. He wanted some alone time with his boyfriend.

"I'm staying with him. He might wake up in the middle of the night and be disorientated. Besides I want to stay and make sure him and the kids will be alright. You don't have to be here. I know you're tired you've been on missions almost non-stop for the past three weeks. You should go home and get some sleep. Come back in the morning and we can grab some breakfast." Shikamaru said truly just looking to have some peace.

Hurrio was a good man, but he didn't like being around victims. He didn't like doing any charity work like this. To Shikamaru this was part of being a ninja, but to Hurrio it was beneath him. His job was out in the field and not after a mission has been completed. Shikamaru wanted to be able to sit with Sasuke and just be there for him without having to worry about what Hurrio was thinking or dealing with him trying to convince him to leave all night. He was going to be here with Sasuke until he woke up and until Sasuke told him to leave. Even then he would be back to check in on him and the children. Sasuke was still his friend. He still meant a lot to him and he wasn't going to just walk away while he was struggling. He was there for him once and he was going to be there for him again.

"This isn't your job." Hurrio said softly to Shikamaru.

"I know that. Sasuke's my friend and he needs me. I'm not going anywhere. Not until he tells me to leave. It's what you do for friends. I'm staying. You should go though and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Shikamaru said just looking to end the conversation.

"Fine." Hurrio said tightly. It was clear he wasn't happy about any of this, but he wasn't in the position to argue about it either. He wasn't going to start making a scene or an argument in the middle of the hospital waiting room or around all of Shikamaru's friends and his father.

"I'll come with you both to see Sasuke before I go and update your mother. I'm sure she is worrying herself sick by now." Shikaku said.

"I'll come with you as well." Iruka said as he put a supportive hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"We'll come by tomorrow to check in on everyone. Give Sasuke sometime to sleep and rest. We don't want him getting sick from one of us." Kiba said.

"Or overwhelmed." Neji added.

"I'll go check in on Sakura and the kids. Make sure she knows how Sasuke is doing." Naruto said.

"Come on Shadow. Let's go see Sasuke." Shikamaru said sadly as he petted the dog's head.

Shadow had stuck by Shikamaru this whole time. It was like he could just tell that Shikamaru was sad and hurting. That he needed some comfort. Shadow also only seemed to really listen too Shikamaru or Kakashi right now. They both knew that until Sasuke was able to leave the hospital that one of them would need to keep Shadow with them. But also let Shadow be around Sasuke as much as he wanted as it was good for the both of them. Shikamaru, Shadow, Kakashi, Shikaku and Iruka headed down the hallway to the elevator so they could go up to the third floor where Sasuke's room was. The others all went off to help the victims again except for Naruto who went to see Sakura and Hurrio who decided to get out of there and go grab some food before going home. He was not happy at all that Shikamaru was picking Sasuke over him already. He knew that Sasuke was just now in the hospital after three years of being gone, but still. Shikamaru was his boyfriend and not Sasuke's. Shikamaru was going to need to set his priorities straight again. They had spent the last year working great together. Hurrio would go out on missions and Shikamaru would stay in the village working as a Junior Advisor. He was safe in the village and Hurrio didn't have to worry about him going out on missions and being hurt. He wasn't a field ninja anymore and that made it work between them. Shikamaru and him would be sexual with each other and spend the night at the other's place. Shikamaru would always place their relationship first and even cancel on his friends just so they could spend more time together. They didn't have fights and Shikamaru always followed his lead. This was a different side to Shikamaru and Hurrio wasn't sure he liked it. He was hoping that once Shikamaru got over the fact that Sasuke was in the village and had two children then they would go back to how things were. After all Sasuke had his own problems plus two kids. That wasn't the life that Shikamaru wanted to get involved with. Hurrio knew that Shikamaru would see things his way once he got over the initial shock. Hurrio was going to make sure that Sasuke understood though that Shikamaru and him were together and that Sasuke was nothing more than just a friend.

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Shikamaru walked into the room that held Sasuke first with Shadow closely behind him. Once in the room Shadow jumped up onto the bed and went over to Sasuke and laid down right beside him and began to whimper. The others came into the room and could see just how sick Sasuke looked. Not only was he covered in bruising and had an oxygen line going into his nose he was also slightly yellow like Tsunade had said. He looked very sick and so small on the bed. He was in need of some serious sleep and care. It was going to be a long road to recovery for Sasuke and Kakashi knew that he was going to need some serious help along the way. Kakashi was hoping that Itachi would be here some time tomorrow and they could come up with a plan on what to do about the situation. Shikamaru went over to the bed and petted Shadow as he spoke.

"It's okay boy he's just sleeping. He needs a lot of rest right now that's all."

"He'll get better each day that he is out of that hell." Iruka said sadly.

"Are you going to stay here tonight Son?" Shikaku asked.

"I was planning on it if that is okay."

"Of course it is. I'll be with your mother in the children's room helping her. I'm sure they are both going to have a hard time tonight." Shikaku said.

"Why don't I go and get some dinner for everyone. You've all been running on empty and it could very well be a long night. You all need some food." Iruka said.

"Thank-you." Kakashi said with a small smile to his boyfriend.

Iruka went and kissed Kakashi's cheek as he spoke.

"Take all the time you need here. But please rest."

"I will. I promise." Kakashi said back.

"I'll be back with some food for everyone. Does Shadow need anything?"

"We have some dog food still that he can have." Kakashi answered.

"Ok I'll be back shortly." Iruka said as he headed out.

"Are you both alright?" Shikaku asked with concern.

"I will be." Kakashi answered.

"Same." Shikamaru said, but his eyes never left Sasuke's sleeping body.

"He's going to be okay Son. He's got a long road ahead of him, but he will be okay. We've done it before." Shikaku said as the memory of the last time Sasuke was in the hospital was all still too clear.

"I know. I just hate that this is happening to him. He doesn't deserve it. I just wish we had known sooner. So much pain could have been avoided. His back might not be like it is now. There's a lot of injuries that could have been avoided. He can't even be a ninja anymore. His whole life is different." Shikamaru said sadly.

"It is, but Sasuke will adapt to the new life. Itachi will be here too don't forget. He'll help get Sasuke through this. There is only one person in this world that Itachi loves and that person is Sasuke. He'll love those two kids just because they are Sasuke's. He'll be there for them and he'll help get Sasuke better." Kakashi said confidently.

"I hope so. He's going to need all the help he can get." Shikamaru said.

"All we can do tonight is be there for them. The rest we can start to figure out once Itachi is here. Sit down and relax Son. That's all we can do while we wait." Shikaku said.

Shikamaru gave a nod and Shikaku spoke again.

"I'm going to sit with your mother if you need me don't hesitate to come down."

"I will." Shikamaru said.

Kakashi gave a nod and Shikaku headed out of the room and back to the elevators so he could go down to be with his wife and the two children. Shikamaru and Kakashi both grabbed a chair and pulled them up to the bed. They sat down and did the only thing they could do, they waited. They waited for when Sasuke would wake up and they could be there for him. Until then they were going to sit down in those chairs and just be there for him. Both trying their best to not think about all the times that Sasuke needed them in the past three years and they weren't there for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warnings: Sex and sexual activities, like a lot of it. Surprisingly enough for only chapter 2, but the characters want what they want. Enjoy.**

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Chapter 2

It wasn't until two in the morning when Shikamaru woke up to Shadow nudging his face. Shikamaru opened his eyes and saw that he had fallen asleep sitting down in the chair next to Sasuke's bed. His arms were on the bed and his head had been on his arms. Shadow was also still up on the bed and something seemed to be bothering him as he had woken Shikamaru up. Shikamaru placed a heavy hand on Shadow's back and started to pet him.

"What's wrong boy?" Shikamaru whispered and Shadow simply whimpered and placed a paw on Sasuke's left leg.

Shikamaru looked over at Sasuke and he didn't see what the big deal was. Sasuke hadn't even moved since they had arrived at the hospital. Shikamaru wasn't a medical person, but even he knew that the monitors were in a good place.

"He'll be okay boy." Shikamaru whispered again as he looked over at Kakashi. He had at least managed to get to the cot for some sleep.

Shikamaru knew the past three years had been horribly hard on Kakashi. Shikamaru had often wondered if Kakashi was going to survive Sasuke's leaving. On many occasions he had overheard his parents and Asuma talking about Kakashi's drinking and how much it had increased since Sasuke's leaving. At one point it got so bad that they had been thinking of speaking to him as an intervention to get him to quit. Kakashi was still going on missions and paying his bills, but other than that he spent his time alone in his home drinking when Iruka wasn't around to get him to stop. There were plenty of times when Kakashi had kicked Iruka out and wanted nothing to do with him so he could be alone and drink his misery away. Iruka had thought about breaking up with Kakashi because of it, but he was worried what Kakashi would do without Iruka there still with him. Shikamaru knew that having Sasuke back wasn't going to magically fix their problems. It would bring all new problems to their relationship with how injured Sasuke was, not to mention the two small children that now came with Sasuke. Still, Shikamaru was hopeful that their relationship would work out for them both. Shikamaru wanted Kakashi to be happy.

Shikamaru was about to put his head back down when he saw Sasuke's right index finger move.

"So that's why you woke me." Shikamaru whispered to Shadow.

Shikamaru sat up straighter and he placed his hand gently on Sasuke's right one so he wouldn't hurt him anymore than he already was. If Sasuke was going to wake up Shikamaru didn't want him to be afraid or to think he was alone. It took a few minutes after that for Sasuke's eyes to slowly flicker open. Shikamaru could see that his eyes were blurry and confused. Sasuke's eyes moved slowly around the room, but Shikamaru wasn't sure his mind was even registering where he was. When they finally landed on Shikamaru, he gave Sasuke a warm smile.

"Hey you." Shikamaru whispered.

Sasuke looked confused for a second before he spoke very softly and Shikamaru could hear the pain laced in Sasuke's voice.

"Shika?"

"I'm here Sas." Shikamaru whispered back as he gently rubbed his thumb along the back of Sasuke's bandaged hand.

"You found me." Sasuke said weakly as his eyes flickered closed for a second before opening again. "What about Asuma?"

"What about Asuma Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked now confused himself.

"Danzou took him didn't he? Did you find him?"

"Ya Sas we found him. He's okay. He's not hurt." Shikamaru said playing along. Shikamaru knew that Sasuke was confused and thought that this was three years ago when Danzou had stormed into Sasuke's home and took both Sasuke and Asuma for nine days. Shikamaru was afraid of what this meant for Sasuke's mental health. If this was something that would occur often or if it was just a fluke right now. Either way it was better to play along right now.

"I missed you." Sasuke said as his eyes flickered close once again, but he opened them with a great deal of effort.

"I missed you too." Shikamaru said with a warm smile.

Shadow was through with being ignored and he nudged Sasuke's side. Sasuke's eyes moved down to the dog and Shikamaru could instantly see the confusion on his face.

"That's Shadow, he's a dog of Kakashi's. He's on guard tonight." Shikamaru supplied before Sasuke could ask.

Sasuke moved his right hand very slowly and gave the dog a quick pet before he couldn't hold his hand up anymore.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked Shikamaru.

"I'm great now that you're safe again." Shikamaru answered honestly.

"Hold me?" Sasuke asked weakly as his eyes started to fall once again and Shikamaru knew this would be the last time he was able to force himself awake again.

"Always." Shikamaru said around the lump in his throat.

Shikamaru got up and patted the end of the bed for Shadow to move. Thankfully the dog understood and moved to the bottom of the bed and curled up so his head was across Sasuke's feet. Shikamaru got up onto the bed and very carefully put his arms around Sasuke so Sasuke was against his chest, but still on his back. Shikamaru kissed the side of Sasuke's head before he spoke.

"Sleep Sas. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"I love you." Sasuke said just barely a whisper as he fell asleep.

"I love you." Shikamaru whispered back with a deep sadness in his voice.

The past two days had really messed with his mind and emotions. Shikamaru didn't know what he felt for Sasuke anymore. He knew he was dating Hurrio, but that didn't change the fact that Shikamaru had always felt something for Sasuke, even after he left. Shikamaru did his best to move on, because everyone said he had to. Chouji and Ino kept reminding him that Sasuke had left without saying anything to him, that he obviously didn't care about Shikamaru like Shikamaru had believed he did. When Shikamaru had met Hurrio it was while he was learning about being a Junior Advisor. It had been his first week in the new position and Hurrio was there to report back for a new mission when their paths had crossed. Hurrio had expressed interest in Shikamaru almost instantly, but Shikamaru didn't know if he was ready for anything just yet. It had taken three weeks and a great deal of harassment from Chouji and Ino to even agree to a date with Hurrio. They had a good time and Shikamaru slowly warmed up to the thought of being with someone other than Sasuke. Even still, Shikamaru had held back often and he often felt like a part of him was cheating on Sasuke. He pushed that thought down every single time, because Sasuke had left and even though they never said I don't want to be with you anymore, Sasuke said it by leaving the way that he did.

Still, Shikamaru knew that Hurrio cared about him more than Shikamaru cared for him. Shikamaru didn't know what he was feeling about all of this and he didn't know what he was feeling about Sasuke and Hurrio. He did know he would need to figure it out, but he didn't have to figure it out tonight. Shikamaru closed his eyes and allowed his exhausted body the sleep it was calling for.

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It wasn't until eight the next morning did the door to the room open. Shikamaru's parents and Hurrio walked into the room to see Kakashi awake and sitting in a chair by the bed. They also saw Shikamaru curled up with Sasuke on the bed. With the sound of the door opening Shadow popped his head up and growled at Hurrio. The growling caught Shikamaru's attention and his eyes opened to see what was wrong. Shikamaru instantly took notice of the new people in the room.

"It's okay Shadow." Shikamaru said with a heavy voice as he had just woken up.

Shadow stopped growling, but he didn't relax back on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Hurrio asked with a deadly calm voice.

"He woke up late last night. He was confused and just needed some comfort." Shikamaru answered softly as he slowly detailed himself from Sasuke. He didn't want to wake him up when he desperately needed the sleep.

"And Kakashi couldn't do that?" Hurrio asked again.

"He was asleep." Shikamaru answered.

"Why don't we take this out in the hallway so we don't wake Sasuke up." Yoshino suggested.

"We should get Tsunade as well, she'll want to know that Sasuke woke up." Kakashi said as he got up.

They all headed out into the hallway and closed the door so Sasuke wouldn't hear them. Only when the door finally closed did Shadow put his head back down. The others stood out in the hallway and saw Tsunade coming towards them.

"We were just about to get you. Sasuke woke up apparently last night." Kakashi said as Tsunade got close enough.

"Apparently? You don't know?" Tsunade asked confused by Kakashi's choice of words.

"I didn't wake him up. Sasuke was only awake for a couple of minutes at most otherwise I would have." Shikamaru said.

"You still should have woken me the second he did. " Kakashi said back.

"I'm sorry. Next time I will. He was just so confused I didn't want to make it worse. I thought it would be best to get him back to sleep as quickly as possible."

"Ok enough. How was he?" Tsunade asked.

"He thought it was three years ago and he had been in the jail for those nine days. He asked how I was and Asuma after being grabbed. He didn't even register how I look different. He asked about Shadow and I told him it was a dog of Kakashi's. He honestly had no idea that it had been three years."

"And you thought it would be helpful to sleep with him?" Hurrio asked with a slight accusatory tone.

"He asked if I could hold him. He was confused and in pain. It didn't mean anything." Shikamaru said.

"Why the memory gap? Is that normal?" Kakashi asked Tsunade with concern.

"Given Sasuke's injuries and the surgery. Honestly, I'm amazed he was able to put a sentence together last night. I wouldn't be too concerned about the memory gap. When he is awake today I need to speak with him and examine his mental state. If he still has the memory gap then it might be another issue." Tsunade answered.

"Being?" Shikaku asked.

"Sometimes with people who have been through a trauma their mind in order to protect itself from the harmful and potentially devastating memories. The mind will block it all out. Reset in a way, to a time where things were easier to handle. Even though Sasuke went through something horrific three years ago back in the jail, his time out of it was still relatively normal. He had people around him who cared. If what happened last night was not a fluke then it's possible Sasuke's mind has blocked out the past three and a half years in order to survive." Tsunade explained.

"Will it come back?" Shikamaru asked.

"Possible. Matters of the mind are not clear cut and simple. Some people who have suffered from this gain the memories once the physical trauma has healed and the mind feels like the person is strong enough to handle it. Some people never get them back. It all depends on Sasuke. But that is not to say that is what this is. It could just be a combination of the pain medication, the anesthesia and his head trauma. I won't know until later when I can speak to him."

"And if it is? What should we do? We can't obviously pretend like the past three and a half years never happened. He's going to notice everyone is older." Shikaku asked not really sure how they should be handling the situation.

"And you wouldn't. Sasuke will have to be told the important information about the situation. That he had been gone for three years before he was injured. That Shikamaru is in a new relationship. That he does have two small children. Any information about the past three years of your lives that you wish to tell him you could. What you couldn't talk about is what he has been through. You can't tell him what we know about where he was or what happened to him. That would be dangerous to his mind. Only Sasuke's mind can chose to remember when it feels ready to handle it. We can't be forcing memories onto Sasuke, because then we could be creating memories that are actually there. If Sasuke does truly not remember it would be taboo to talk to him or speak about what he has been through." Tsunade said.

"It would actually be a blessing. I know he will be beyond confused, but he wouldn't remember his time there. He wouldn't remember the torture or being raped. He wouldn't remember killing anyone. Him not remembering would be the best thing to ever happen to Sasuke since he was taken." Shikamaru said.

"Until it all came crashing down on him when he finally remembers." Hurrio said cynically.

"Don't get your hopes up just yet. There is a very high chance that the confusion was just a result of the combination that I mentioned. I won't know until I can speak to him. For now let Sasuke sleep. I am going to be running more tests on his blood and chakra to make sure everything is working smoothly. I want to check his chakra levels to make sure he is fine after the past three years of having them blocked. I don't expect anything to be wrong, I just want to be sure. I don't want any surprises this time around." Tsunade said.

"When will he need to start dialysis?" Kakashi asked.

"He'll need to start tomorrow. Hopefully his kidney will bounce back and he won't need a transplant." Tsunade answered.

"How long would it be if he does?" Shikaku asked.

"Depends on if Itachi is a match. If he is not, then it could be anywhere between six months to a year before the donor clinic would be able to provide one for Sasuke. It's worse case scenario and even if Sasuke had to have a transplant Itachi is ninety percent likely to be a viable match."

"Let's not worry about what could happen just yet. Sasuke is young his body should recover fast." Yoshino said trying to keep everyone positive.

"How are the kids?" Shikamaru asked.

"They are doing well considering. They were up quite a bit last night from nightmares, even Yin. I'm worried for them mentally and what their time in that place has done to them. Kai isn't moving around too much even though he could be. I think it's going to take a lot of love and time for them to truly recover and start acting like children." Yoshino answered sadly.

"It's not easy, because of their age. They don't talk and even if Kai could, he isn't old enough to understand what he is feeling. The good news is though, that they won't remember it. Kai won't have any memories of that place within the next six months and Yin will never remember. It's hard right now but once they are in a positive environment they will recover wonderfully." Tsunade said.

"He won't remember?" Shikamaru asked.

"He won't. He's too young to retain any memories that are not core memories like learning. These experiences he has lived through are only temporarily stored in his memory box. People are rarely able to retain memories as young as five. Most don't have memories until the age of eight that last their whole lives. It's a blessing in that sense." Tsunade explained.

"So all we can do is wait and see how Sasuke is when he wakes up again?" Shikamaru asked.

"That's all we can do. Sasuke's mind is seriously injured, it needs time to heal and between now and then anything could happen. He could have days where he is confused to what year it is and what has happened. Only time will tell and will heal his injuries." Tsunade answered.

"Do we know anything about Itachi yet?" Shikaku asked.

"Not yet. My hounds will find him. It's only a matter of time." Kakashi answered.

"You all look terrible. You need a break, get something to eat. You need to take care of yourselves." Tsunade said to the others, minus Hurrio.

"I don't want to leave him." Kakashi automatically said.

"And I don't think the children should be alone for very long." Yoshino added.

"And they will be fine for a little longer. None of you will be any good to these three if you are all rundown. Get some breakfast and take a break before you all collapse." Tsunade said with a hint of order in her voice.

"I'll stay with him. That way he won't be alone if he wakes up." Hurrio offered.

"That's sweet, but Shadow really doesn't like you for some reason." Shikamaru said.

"It's probably because I remind him of some of the guards. I don't know much about dogs, but I do know they need to go to the bathroom and eat more than once every twenty hours. It'll do him some good to be out of the hospital too. He hasn't had sunlight either in three years." Hurrio said back with a warm smile. He wanted to be able to speak to Sasuke, but he couldn't do that with everyone around for it.

"He does need to go out and to eat." Kakashi said as he ran a hand over his face.

"Then you all can go out for breakfast and Hurrio will keep watch over Sasuke. And yes that is an order." Tsunade said to them with a stern face before she turned her attention to Hurrio. "Call me right away if he wakes up."

"Yes Ma'am." Hurrio easily agreed.

"Go, now." Tsunade said before she turned and left.

"I'll grab Shadow and then we can get something to eat. Tsunade is right, we need to take proper care of ourselves, especially now. Sasuke and those kids are going to need a lot of help." Kakashi said.

"And they will have it. On the way back in, I think I'll pick up some vanilla ice cream for Kai. His stomach needs simple foods right now and it will be good to get some weight onto him." Yoshino said.

"That's a good idea." Shikaku agreed.

Kakashi went into the room to grab Shadow, he knew that Shadow wouldn't want to leave Sasuke, but they needed to get him fed as well. Kakashi went over to the bed and saw that Shadow was lying down with his head on Sasuke's chest. Shadow gave a whimper to Kakashi.

"I know boy, but he's going to be ok. You'll see, they'll all be okay." Kakashi said as he gave Shadow a pet on his head to offer what little comfort he could. "We need to leave though for a little while. You need to go to the bathroom and we all need food. Come on boy, you can be right back here in an hour or less."

Kakashi nudged Shadow to get him off the bed. Shadow didn't want to move, but he also knew that he had to. Kakashi was glad that Shadow had decided to listen to him and he got off the bed and followed Kakashi out of the room with his head down. It was clear to everyone that he was depressed. Yoshino bent down and pulled Shadow into her arms for a hug as she spoke.

"I know you don't want to leave, but it's only for a little while sweetie. We'll get them all nice and healthy again I promise you."

"Are you sure you'll be alright with him?" Shikamaru asked Hurrio.

"Of course Babe. Don't worry I'll make sure he's safe. He's just going to sleep anyways. The chances of him waking up while you are gone are slim. Trust me."

"I always trust you. Ok, we won't be long, an hour at most."

"Take your time. I love you." Hurrio said as he moved in for a kiss.

"You too." Shikamaru said as he gave Hurrio a quick kiss before they headed out of the hospital to grab some breakfast at a closeby restaurant.

Hurrio smiled to himself as he headed into Sasuke's hospital room so he could sit there with him. He was going to wait until it was closer to the hour marker before he woke Sasuke up. With any luck he would be able to have a conversation with him about who Shikamaru belonged to.

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Once they arrived at the restaurant and placed their food order in Yoshino spoke.

"We need to get a list together of what we need to do before they can be released from the hospital."

"We don't even know what will happen with them or when Itachi gets here." Shikamaru said.

"I know, but they will still be released from the hospital, possibly before Sasuke if something goes wrong. We need to get things in order, we don't know when Itachi will get here either. The very least we need to find them all a place to live. His apartment is gone, not that it would have been much help to him. We should also clean out that spare bedroom that we are using as a storage room for the kids." Yoshino said the last part to her husband.

"They might live with Sasuke." Shikaku said.

"Regardless, Sasuke and those kids will need help. There maybe many times where Sasuke needs a break from them. We should have a place for them to sleep at the house."

"Yes dear. Kakashi, will you be living with them?" Shikaku asked.

"I'm not sure what will happen. I'll need to have a conversation with Itachi and see where he stands in all of this. Either way I'll need to find a new home for Sasuke, I don't have any room in my apartment. I'll need to find a house for them regardless."

"Itachi would let you live with them though right?" Shikamaru asked.

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to Itachi since he was thirteen. I have no idea what he is going to be like or how he would feel about any of this. Even if I don't live with Sasuke, I'll still be able to see him all the time. Once Itachi gets back in the village I'll be able to speak to him about everything and we can make a plan from there."

"All of this is crazy." Shikamaru said softly.

"I know this is hard son. I know this is confusing for you. Hurrio told you he loved you and for the first time you said you too back and not I love you. You've never done that before." Shikaku said gently.

"Did something else happen last night that you didn't tell us sweetie?" Yoshino asked.

"After Sasuke asked me to hold him, I think for a few seconds he remembered it wasn't three years ago. He told me he missed me and that he loves me."

"And what did you say?" Yoshino asked gently.

"I told him that I missed him too and that I love him. I didn't even think about it, it just came out. He didn't say anything, he was barely awake when he had said it. I don't even know if he'll remember any of it or if he maybe thought he was dreaming. He didn't even remember Shadow. Why did I say it back? He was practically asleep, he wouldn't have heard me. I love Hurrio, he is my boyfriend, we get along and my friends like him. What happened to Sasuke shouldn't change that he was still gone for three years. We're different people and he has a very long road ahead of him. The odds of us ever being together are ridiculously low. I always think things through, why would I say that to him?" Shikamaru asked with genuine confusion in his voice.

"Isn't it possible, that you still feel that way about Sasuke? Yes, he was gone for three years, but the circumstances that he was taken from you change how you felt about his leaving. You're allowed to be confused about this Shikamaru. You're allowed to doubt how you feel about Hurrio." Kakashi said.

"You are still young son, you have lots of time to figure out how you feel about either of them. I just don't want you to let go of a good thing for something that may never happen again. I think you need to take it one day at a time and see how things go from there." Shikaku said worried that Shikamaru would waste his life away waiting for Sasuke to be ready for a relationship again.

"You both are also different people now. You should become friends again before something more." Yoshino added.

Shikamaru gave a nod and it was clear he was thinking about everything and just trying to figure it out. He had no idea what to do with these new feelings he had of Sasuke and it was all confusing to him. He didn't want to lead Hurrio on if his heart wasn't into it, but at the same time he didn't know if what he was feeling for Sasuke real either or just left over from how they left things and all of this new information. As hard as it would be, he would have to wait and see how each day went and see how his feelings went from there. For now all he could do was help in any way that he could.

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Hurrio sat in Sasuke's room waiting to see if Sasuke would wake up, so far he hadn't. Hurrio had waited for forty minutes, but Sasuke hadn't shown signs of life yet. Hurrio wasn't about to wait any longer. This might be the only time he would be able to be alone with Sasuke and he wanted to make sure Sasuke knew what was going on. Hurrio wasn't going to tolerate Sasuke hanging off of Shikamaru. Shikamaru was his boyfriend and it had taken a lot of work and effort to get Shikamaru past Sasuke and all of his drama. Hurrio wasn't going to tolerate Sasuke trying to steal Shikamaru away from him. Hurrio got up and went over to the bed. He leaned down and spoke loud enough for Sasuke to hear him, but not anyone else that could be walking by.

"Wake up."

When Sasuke didn't move Hurrio went and gave Sasuke's shoulder a hard shake as he spoke again.

"Come on get up."

With the contact Sasuke's eyes snapped open as it had been programmed into him from the past three years. Sasuke saw someone he didn't recognize in a foreign room. The confusion was clear in Sasuke's eyes as they shot around trying to understand what was happening.

"You're in Konoha's hospital. You've been gone for three years." Hurrio said completely without care.

"Where's my dad?" Sasuke asked with a weak voice.

"He's dead."

"Kakashi's dead?"

"No he's alive. He's out grabbing something to eat. Took that stupid dog of yours with him."

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked more confused now than ever. His mind was trying to catch up with him, but it felt like he was going through a thick sludge.

"Hurrio. I'm Shikamaru's boyfriend. We've been together for a year now. We're in love."

"Boyfriend?"

"Yes, you didn't think he would wait for you all these years? He didn't even look for you. I just wanted to get a few things in order between us now that you are back."

"Things?"

Sasuke's voice was pretty weak and he was getting really confused. He wanted Kakashi. He wanted someone that he knew for certain was safe. Sasuke knew he was in Konoha as he recognized the hospital, but that didn't make him feel safe. That didn't change what he remember of the past three years. All he could think about was getting out, being free and now he was, but he felt so confused and disorientated. His whole body hurt and his mind felt horrible. He really wasn't feeling well and he couldn't help, but think he was forgetting something important. After finally being free, only to find out that the man he loves doesn't love him back. Not only that, but he moved on to some other man and didn't even look for him. Sasuke felt betrayal, like he had never felt before.

"Well I know last night you and Shikamaru fell asleep together. I know you were confused and you didn't know he was in love with someone else. I just wanted to meet you and let you know that we are in love and you need to let him go. He's been happy without you around and now that you are back, you have way too much baggage now. I mean between being tortured and raped, you'll never be able to be with him and give him what he needs. Plus you have two small children you have to raise. Shikamaru doesn't deserve to be dragged down to that type of life. He deserves better than that life. He feels obligated to be with you. You've already hurt him enough, don't continue to destroy his life. He won't go unless you tell him to. You need to tell him to leave you alone. Besides, it's not like you want to see us kissing. We do it all the time. We do a lot of things together, things you'll never be able to give him sexually. Just let him finally be free."

"I don't, I don't understand any of this. I want Dad. I don't want you here, I want my dad." Sasuke said sounding panicked and distressed.

"Again, your dad is dead. Your brother killed him. Kakashi is out with my boyfriend. He didn't come and look for you either. They all figured you left just like your brother did. Betrayed the village and them. No one looked for you. It was just dumb luck that kid found Kakashi and told him what happened. Now you're safe and you get the spend the rest of your life being disabled and a single parent to two children. Shikamaru deserves a real man. One that can provide for him, can protect him. You can focus on your now meaningless life. Though, you could always kill yourself I guess if you don't want that life. Choice is yours." Hurrio said with an I don't care shrug.

"Go away. Just go away. I want my dad, just leave me alone." Sasuke said with extreme panic in his voice as his body started to start shaking.

Hurrio put his hands up in the air as he spoke. "Fine, be here by yourself, I don't care."

Hurrio headed out and once the door was closed Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to get his mind to focus. He felt sick, he felt just down right horrible. His body was in pain, he could barely feel his legs, his body was trembling. All he wanted was Kakashi and yet he wasn't here. Sasuke didn't even know what to think about any of this. Apparently, no one had looked for him. Sasuke thought this whole time that Kakashi was searching everywhere trying to find him. Only to find out that it was just luck that he was found. Sasuke felt like he couldn't breathe. Hurrio said his dad was dead, that Itachi killed him, but that couldn't be true. It can't be true, Kakashi can't be dead.

Sasuke's breathing picked up and he felt the panic reaching a whole new level. What if he wasn't really here? What if this was some result of a drug they gave him? He could be in a nightmare right now, how could he know? What would he do now, if Kakashi was dead, what would he do? How would he handle all of this? Sasuke couldn't handle any of this. He started to move, because the need to move was overwhelming. He pushed his body slowly into a sitting position. He normally was able to use Shadow, but even Shadow wasn't in the room. He was all alone in this bright white room. Sasuke found it too bright, too white. It felt too clean, it smelt too clean. Sasuke looked down at the bed and for the first time his mind was registering that he was on a bed. Beds were bad, bad things happened on them. He couldn't go through that again. He couldn't handle going through that again. He didn't want it, he didn't want any of it, but his body wouldn't listen. It always betrayed him and responded to the touches. Sasuke saw that there was an I.V in his arm and he ripped it out, causing his arm to bleed. He wouldn't be taking any drugs, he wouldn't let any drugs be given to him. Drugs were bad, bad things always happened on drugs. Sasuke knew he had to get out of here, he had to find an escape, even if this was some nightmare or hallucination, he wouldn't be trapped here.

Sasuke forced his body to push through the horrible pain and moved closer to the end of the bed. Sasuke tried to get his legs to work, but they were so numb he didn't even know how to stand up on them. Sasuke tried, but the second his feet touched the ground his legs collapsed. He wasn't strong enough to hold himself up. Sasuke didn't care though. He crawled on his stomach and used his arms to drag himself across the floor towards the window. He would get out of this room and find someplace where he would be safe. Just as Sasuke reached up to touch the window the door to the room opened once again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi, Shadow, Shikamaru and his parents arrived back at the hospital to see that Hurrio was out in the hallway. They were instantly worried as Hurrio should have been inside Sasuke's room watching over him.

"Why are you out here?" Kakashi demanded.

"He kicked me out. He woke up about ten minutes ago and kicked me out. He didn't know who I was and when I told him he lost it at me. Told me to get the hell out, that he wanted his dad."

"What did you tell him?" Shikamaru asked.

"That I was Hurrio, your boyfriend and that his dad was dead. He asked about Kakashi and I told him he was fine, that he was out with you. He's too unstable right now."

"Why would you tell him you were my boyfriend?" Shikamaru asked with anger edging his voice.

"Because I am and he seemed confused by why I was there. I thought it would help calm him down if he knew that we were close. I was trying to offer what comfort I could for him until you guys got back. But he just lost it at me and told me to leave. I thought it would be better to leave him alone until you got here."

Kakashi didn't need to hear anymore. His son was awake, confused and terrified. Kakashi wasn't going to leave him alone any longer than he had to. Kakashi opened the door and was shocked that Sasuke wasn't in his bed, but was actually on the floor trying to open the window, most likely to escape. Sasuke turned at the sound of the door and the fear instantly filled his eyes. Sasuke scooted back so he was in the corner of the room and brought his legs up to try and protect himself. Shadow wasn't going to have any of it and he ran over to Sasuke and placed himself in front of Sasuke facing them on guard. Even though they hadn't hurt Shadow or Sasuke, it didn't matter to Shadow. All he knew was that his person was terrified and hurt and these people caused that reaction in him.

The others came into the room and Kakashi held his hands up in the air so Sasuke and Shadow could see he didn't have any weapons.

"It's ok Shadow, you know I won't hurt him. He needs help Shadow, let me help him boy."

Kakashi could see Shadow thinking about it. He turned to look at Sasuke and it was as if the dog was able to see just how bad off Sasuke was. Shadow went and sat down beside Sasuke and the message was clear. He was still ready to attack should he need to, but for now he was letting Kakashi get close enough to Sasuke. Sasuke at this point was shaking so bad Kakashi was afraid he would rip his stitches, assuming he already hadn't. His breathing was also too fast for Kakashi to be comfortable with. Kakashi spoke as he slowly made his way towards Sasuke.

"It's ok Sasuke, you're safe in Konoha now."

"Not real. Not real. He said you were dead. He said Dad was dead. Itachi killed Dad. You're dead, you're not real." Sasuke said as he slowly started to rock back and forth and clench his hands in his hair.

"No Sasuke, Hurrio didn't mean me, he meant Fugaku. I'm alive son. I'm right here." Kakashi said as he inched closer.

"No, no trick, some trick. The drugs from the line, this is a trick. It's not right, none of it is right. Too bright, too clean, too white. This isn't home. Home is where you're safe, Dad taught me that. Safe in that room, no one touches you in that room. Too bright to be home. Not real, it's not real." Sasuke started to hyperventilate and Kakashi knew if he didn't do something soon they would have to sedate Sasuke, and he didn't see that going over well.

The others couldn't believe how bad Sasuke's mind was right now. They knew it would get better, but currently he sounded crazy and in between it all, there would be two small children to take care of. It was impossible for Sasuke to be able to do. Shikamaru fought with the tears in his eyes and the unbelievable need to go and take Sasuke in his arms just to prove that he was safe, that this was all real. He knew he couldn't though. They had no idea how Sasuke would react to being touched right now. He also knew that Kakashi had the best chance at getting Sasuke to calm down.

Kakashi turned to look at the others as he spoke. "Shikaku, turn the lights off."

Shikaku went and flicked the switch to help darken the room. It wasn't much better, but it was darker and might help with some of Sasuke's anxiety. Kakashi knew he was supposed to go slow, but with Sasuke's breathing being this bad, he couldn't just wait. Kakashi went right over to Sasuke and bent down in front of him. He wanted to be eye level with Sasuke, so Sasuke wouldn't think he was trying to pressure him at all.

"Son, listen to me, can you touch Shadow for me?" Kakashi kept his voice gentle and made sure the patience within it was clear.

Sasuke didn't have any problem reaching beside him and wrapping his arms around Shadow's neck. Shadow buried his head in the crook of Sasuke's neck doing what he could to provide comfort to Sasuke. Sasuke started to rock with Shadow in his arms, something Shadow appeared to be used to.

"Shadow's real, he's always real. Helps me get up, keeps me warm. You, you not real. He said Dad was dead. I need to go home, have to get home. They'll hurt them, I have to protect them. Shadow keeps them warm. You're not real."

"I am real Son. I know this is hard for you. You have some injuries to your brain and it's making you really confused. I'm not dead Son. Reach out, you can touch me. I won't disappear and your hand won't go through me. I'm right here, all you have to do is reach out and touch me."

"No touch is bad, I don't want to be touched anymore. I didn't want it, I didn't want it. Why did my body do those things? I couldn't stop it from happening, why did it not listen?" Sasuke asked as tears built in his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault son. They gave you a drug to make your body react that way. I know you didn't want it." Kakashi said as he fought his own tears back. He knew Sasuke's mind was going to be a struggle, but he didn't expect this. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

"Where's Niisan? Dad is dead, but Niisan can't die. Too strong, too tough, he doesn't get hurt. Niisan could find me. He always knows what to do. I need Niisan. Dad is dead, Niisan will fix it."

"I'm right here Son. Itachi is on his way, he'll be here hopefully soon for you. I think you just need some sleep. You're so exhausted it's not helping your mind right now. You need sleep Son." Kakashi said as he reached out and placed his hand on Sasuke's kneecap.

Sasuke stopped rocking and looked down at the hand now touching his knee. They could see the confusion creeping across Sasuke's face as Kakashi's hand didn't pass right through him. Sasuke looked at the hand and allowed his eyes to move for the first time up Kakashi's arm, across his chest and up to his face. It was as if Sasuke had just realised that someone else was in the room. He truly believed this was all in his mind and having Shadow touching him was just normal to Sasuke. It made perfect sense in Sasuke's mind for Shadow to be with him. Sasuke looked at Kakashi and Kakashi gave Sasuke a warm smile trying to coax something out of Sasuke. Sasuke slowly moved his right hand towards Kakashi's chest. Kakashi didn't dare to even breath at that moment. He kept completely still as Sasuke's hand got closer to his chest before it finally touched with just the briefest amount of pressure. Sasuke took in a sharp gasp at the contact as he pushed more firmly.

"Not air. Always air before, always went through, never solid." Sasuke said softly to himself.

"I'm real Son, I'm right here with you. I'm not dead. I got you out." Kakashi said as he gently moved Sasuke's hand so it was over his heart. So Sasuke could feel Kakashi's heartbeat.

Just that feeling alone was enough to break the dam inside of Sasuke. The wail of a cry broke through Sasuke after the second beat and his hand gripped Kakashi's shirt where his heart was as best as he could. Sasuke moved away from Shadow and all, but collapsed into Kakashi's chest as the tears took over. Kakashi didn't even hesitate to wrap his arms around Sasuke and hold onto him as long as he needed it.

"Not dead. You're not dead." Sasuke said in between the tears and shaky breaths.

"I'm not dead Son. I'm right here with you. You don't have to worry about anyone hurting you again. I promise you. I have you Son, let it out. Just let it out."

"It hurts so bad."

Kakashi pulled Sasuke closer and readjusted him so Sasuke's body was turned towards the bed and would help ease some of the physical pain.

"I know, I know. We'll get through it though, together. Itachi will be here too. My hounds will find him and he'll come rushing back here. He's been looking for you for months now. He's going to be so happy to see you."

"He said you were dead."

"I'm not dead. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up Son. I'm right here though. You're safe now, all of you are safe."

"Why didn't you find me. I waited for you to find me. I didn't want to be there. He said you didn't look. He said."

"I did look for you Sasuke. I looked for three years. I thought you left willingly, but I still looked for you. I had my hounds out searching for you. I wasn't going to stop looking for you until I found you. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. But I never stopped looking for you Son. Never."

"There was so much blood. It was everywhere. And dead eyes, always staring back at me. They made me kill them. They made me. I didn't want to, I didn't want it. It never comes off it's always there. The blood never comes off."

"Shh, it's ok You're not there anymore. No one will ever make you do those things again."

Sasuke started coughing and Kakashi knew he needed to get Sasuke back into bed. He was too injured to be sitting on the cold and hard floor. Sasuke's breathing was getting worse from talking and coughing so much. Once Sasuke finally got his coughing fit under control Sasuke spoke as he put his head against Kakashi's chest.

"I don't feel so good."

"You're pretty sick right now Sasuke. You need to get back into bed and get hooked back up to the medicine."

"Bad things happen on beds. Drugs and beds are bad, bad things happen." Sasuke said with a panicked voice.

"Hey, calm down. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. The medicine is to help make you feel better. It won't do what the other drugs did to you. You can sleep in a bed and not worry about someone touching you. No one will do that to you, especially while I am around."

"You won't leave?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Nothing will happen? Promise?"

"I promise you. Nothing will happen to you Son. I'm going to pick you up. You're body is really hurt and you have some stitches on your stomach. You shouldn't be moving around too much."

Sasuke just gave a shaky nod and Kakashi picked Sasuke up bridal style and Sasuke let out a groan at the added pain. Shadow gave a bark in protest but before Kakashi could speak, Sasuke did.

"I'm ok Shadow."

Kakashi brought Sasuke over to the bed and placed him down. Once he stepped back Shadow jumped up on the bed and laid down beside Sasuke with his head by Sasuke's chest.

"I need to call Tsunade, she wanted to check you out and she'll need to put your IV back in. You need the medicine to make you healthy again. That's all it will do though. It's not going to hurt you. Is that ok?"

Sasuke gave a nod as he tucked his head down against Shadow's. Kakashi reached over and hit the nurse call button. Shikamaru moved closer so he could try and talk to Sasuke.

"Hey Sas."

"Don't want you here. Go away." Sasuke said with hurt in his voice.

"Sas." Shikamaru said with hurt in his voice.

"Take your boyfriend with you. The man you love, he can go with you."

"Sasuke, I." Shikamaru started, but he didn't even know what to say to that. He had nothing to say to it. Yoshino understood where they were both coming from though. She moved over to Sasuke and gave him a warm smile.

"It's good to see you back Sweetie. We've been waiting a long time to see you again. I know you are really tired and not feeling good, so we'll give you some space right now. I'm going to go and see the kids and make sure they are doing well. Kai and Yin are both healthy and doing well. You don't worry about them, you focus on getting healthy yourself. I'll take care of them. You stay here with Shadow and your dad and when you are ready to see them I can bring them by."

"What do I do with them?" Sasuke asked sounding so lost and confused on what to do with that topic.

"That is not something you need to figure out right now. They are in the hospital just to be on the safe side. We have lots of time to figure out what to do when they can leave the hospital." Yoshino said not wanting to put any more stress onto Sasuke at the moment.

"Itachi should be here by then too Sasuke." Kakashi added.

"We'll get out of your hair so you can rest sweetie." Yoshino said with a warm smile.

She turned back to the others and started to guide them out. She put a comforting arm around Shikamaru's shoulders and guided him out of the room. Once the door was closed Shikaku spoke.

"You can't take what Sasuke is saying to heart son. His mind is very confused right now with the injuries and his exhaustion. Give him a couple of days to get rested and starting to feel better."

"That's not the point. I've been worried about him for three years and only to find out all of this. Now he doesn't want me around him. I know it's complicated, but I thought we could at least have been friends still. Now he doesn't want anything to do with me and I can't blame him. To Sasuke I betrayed him. He has every right to feel that way." Shikamaru said sadly.

"He'll be ok with it in time, sooner than you think Son. He just needs some rest and time to adjust to everything that is different." Shikaku said.

"You saw how his mind was working right now sweetie, it's not in a good place. Give him some time and Kakashi will speak to him. For now, why don't you head home and get some rest. You look dead on your feet." Yoshino said.

"What about you guys?" Shikamaru asked.

"I am going to see the little ones and make sure they are doing alright. I'll be home later to shower and change." Yoshino said.

"I'll come with you. Hurrio, why don't you take Shikamaru home."

"I was planning on doing just that." Hurrio said with a warm smile.

"I don't know if I really should just leave. What if something happens?" Shikamaru said still not comfortable with leaving Sasuke.

"Then someone will tell you. Babe, you need to take care of yourself too. You need a shower and some sleep." Hurrio said.

Shikamaru ran his hands over his face to try and collect himself for a moment before he spoke. "Ya, ok."

"Anything happens, we'll call sweetie." Yoshino said before she pulled Shikamaru in for a hug.

"Say hi to the kids for me."

"I will. You get home and rest. We'll be back later for dinner."

Shikamaru gave a nod and Hurrio put his hand into Shikamaru's and they headed outside.

"I'm really sorry baby. I didn't think he would react that way to me telling him who I was. I didn't even think, it just came out like it always does. I'm so sorry." Hurrio said with false sympathy.

"It's not your fault, it was going to come out eventually. You were right, it's not something I could hide from him forever. I just don't know what to do about any of this. I want to be there for him. I feel so guilty. I knew him the best, I should have known something else was going on. That he wouldn't have just left a letter like that."

"It's not your fault. Baby, there is no way you could have seen through this. This organization has been doing this for a long time. This wasn't something you could have been smart enough to see through. No one blames you for not being smart enough for this. Sasuke is messed up right now. The best thing you can do is give him space and let his life play out how it's meant to."

"How can I just leave him with this though?"

"He has Itachi and Kakashi there for him. He's not alone. Plus he has two kids to take care of now. You both have different lives compared to what they could have been if this didn't happen. You can't change your life for him or anyone. You need to be who you are now and not settle for something less because you feel guilty or obligated to. I know it's hard, you both didn't really get closure from his leaving, but in time you'll feel better. This is that breakup and it hurts, but you'll be ok. You are still free to live your life like you deserve. Sasuke will find his way."

"He's got two kids though, he's going to need help with them."

"And he has family to do that. You can't throw your life away to help raise two kids. Kids he might not even want anything to do with. The best thing you can do is keep moving on with your life and going to work. Keeping living your life and let Sasuke figure his out. I'm not saying don't see the kids. Based on your mother, they will be around the house fairly often, but don't allow yourself to be dragged into his drama. He's not the same Sasuke you knew. He's completely different, just like you are."

"That's true. We are different people. Maybe I shouldn't stress over it right now or too much. Only time will really tell what will happen between us. We might be able to be friends again one day, when he is ready. And the kids will be by the house often. I can still see them and help them. I don't want to turn my back on them. Sasuke was a big part of my life before. I don't want to turn my back on his kids and it's not fair to them. They need all the help and support they can get right now."

"And I would never tell you to not help a child. I just think you need to avoid any added Sasuke drama. Let Kakashi and Itachi worry about him, you focus on your life. You can't put your life on hold for someone else, that's not fair to you or right. You deserve better. I think it would be good for you to go back to work tomorrow. I'm sure there is a lot that needs to be done with all of the people we rescued yesterday."

"There will be. We need to find all of their parents or a relative. Try and track down where this organization could be next. You're right, I think I will tomorrow. I can't help Sasuke right now, but I can help other people that were involved in this."

"Exactly baby. I'm proud of you. This has been really hard on you and you're doing really well with it." Hurrio said with a warm smile.

"Thanks." Shikamaru said with a smile back as they got to his place.

They headed inside and Hurrio pulled Shikamaru over to him and gave him a kiss. Shikamaru kissed back and after a moment Hurrio pulled back slightly.

"I think I should help you in that shower. Help you reach all those hard to reach places."

"I don't know, I'm kinda tired."

"Nothing has to happen that you don't want to happen. You know that. It's just been a long time since we've been able to do anything. I've been busy on missions and we are alone right now." Hurrio said as he started to kiss Shikamaru's neck.

"We are alone and it has been about three weeks."

"Then stop thinking and get your sexy ass naked." Hurrio said as he started to unbutton Shikamaru's coat.

Shikamaru started to move back with Hurrio as he worked on Hurrio's jacket. Once they got into the bathroom they were both practically naked and Shikamaru was finding himself in the mood for some fun. Hurrio reached over and turned the shower on and got Shikamaru under the hot spray. Once in the shower Hurrio pushed Shikamaru up against the wall and started to kiss him. Hurrio licked Shikamaru's lip asking for permission, which was easily granted. Hurrio and Shikamaru's tongue dueled each other for control, but like always Hurrio always won. Hurrio started to grind their hard on together causing Shikamaru to let out a moan. Hurrio grabbed Shikamaru's left leg and put it around his hips and moved his hands so they grabbed Shikamaru's ass.

Hurrio started to kiss Shikamaru's neck and lightly suck on it as he moved his right index finger down Shikamaru's crack so it skimmed over his hole. Shikamaru moaned as Hurrio sucked hard enough to give him a hickey right on his neck.

"Do you trust me?" Hurrio asked with a husky voice into Shikamaru's ear.

"Yes."

"I'm going to make you feel real good. Make you scream for me." Hurrio said before he took Shikamaru's ear lobe between his teeth for a minute while he grabbed the body wash. He poured some of three of his fingers before he moved Shikamaru's leg and placed it on the edge of the tub. "Stay just like this."

Hurrio bent down and started to lick Shikamaru's hard on. Shikamaru moaned as Hurrio started to take him into his mouth while his right hand went to Shikamaru's ass. He ran his index finger over Shikamaru's hole to get it slicked up before he took Shikamaru deep in his mouth and he slowly inserted his finger.

"What are you doing Hurrio?" Shikamaru asked with a shaky breath as they had never done this before.

"Trust me." Hurrio said as he pulled off Shikamaru's cock.

Hurrio pushed his finger in the rest of the way as he looked up at Shikamaru.

"You are so tight." Hurrio gave Shikamaru's tip a suck before he continued. "Your sweet virgin ass is going to feel so good one day. Relax your walls it'll feel better baby."

Shikamaru tried to relax. He wasn't too sure about this. It just felt weird and not good. When Hurrio started to insert his second finger it started to sting. He could feel Hurrio moving his fingers inside of him, stretching him. Shikamaru knew that much from the books he had read, but he just didn't know if this was for him or not. That was until he felt Hurrio's finger rub something inside of him and Shikamaru let out a loud moan.

"That's it baby. Moan for me. That's the sweet spot. Just think how amazing it will feel when my cock is pounding against it."

Hurrio rubbed circles over Shikamaru's sweet spot and Shikamaru couldn't stop moaning. After a minute Hurrio added his third and final finger inside Shikamaru and really started to finger fuck Shikamaru. Shikamaru couldn't believe how good it felt. He was so hard, it was getting to be painful. He just wanted to cum with Hurrio's fingers inside of him.

"Hurrio, please."

"Please what baby? What do you need?"

"To cum, please I need to cum."

"Cum how? Do you want me to stop finger fucking you?"

"No, please don't stop."

"Then how can I make you cum baby? Tell me what you want." Hurrio said with a smirk. He loved Shikamaru like this at his mercy. There was nothing more hot to him than being in control over someone completely.

"I want your mouth on me."

"My mouth eh?" Like here?" Hurrio said as he kissed Shikamaru's thigh.

"No, baby please." Shikamaru whined in between moans.

"Say it or I'm not doing it. You know what I want to hear baby." Hurrio said as he started to fuck Shikamaru faster.

Shikamaru gave a deep moan as his legs started to tremble. "I want your mouth on my cock. I want to cum down your throat."

"You want me to suck your dick baby?"

"Yes."

"Beg me for it. Beg me for the release." Hurrio said with a smirk as he did fast circles on Shikamaru's sweet spot causing him to let out a small scream.

"Please Hurrio, please suck my cock. I need to cum, please."

"Good boy."

Hurrio took Shikamaru deep into his mouth and Shikamaru let out a small scream again. Hurrio moved fast up and down Shikamaru's cock and it only took a minute before Shikamaru was screaming out Hurrio's name as he cam hard into Hurrio's mouth. Once Hurrio had swallowed everything Shikamaru had for him he removed his fingers from Shikamaru's ass. Shikamaru was shaky on his legs and breathing heavy. Hurrio stood up and pulled Shikamaru in for a rough kiss, shoving his tongue into Shikamaru's mouth so Shikamaru could taste his own cum. After a minute he pulled back as he spoke.

"How did you like that?"

"That surprisingly felt amazing." Shikamaru said with a shaky voice.

"I think I need to pick us up some toys. You wouldn't believe how amazing I could make you feel baby."

"I guess that would depend on what they are. Now it's my turn to return the favour."

"I don't like being finger fucked, but there is something you could do that you haven't done before."

"What's that?" Shikamaru asked being willing to try anything with Hurrio.

"I want you to rim me. It feels so fucking good."

"What is that?" Shikamaru asked confused.

"It's when you fuck me with your tongue."

"Really?" Shikamaru said not really sure about doing something like that.

"It feels amazing baby. I made you feel amazing, now it's your turn." Hurrio said as he started to kiss Shikamaru's neck. "You'd do that for me wouldn't you baby?"

"I just never thought about it. I guess it doesn't hurt to try it once right?" Shikamaru said slightly unsure.

"Right baby. Get on your knees." Hurrio switched their positions so he could face the shower wall.

He put his hands on the wall and bent forward slightly. Shikamaru got down on his knees as Hurrio spoke.

"You just grab my ass and give my hole a little lick, just a taste."

Shikamaru moved and grabbed Hurrio's ass and spread his cheeks apart so he could see Hurrio's hole. Shikamaru moved forward and gave Hurrio's hole a small lick. It didn't taste like anything so he tried it again, but longer this time.

"That's it baby." Hurrio moaned.

Shikamaru continued to lick at Hurrio's hole for a few minutes while Hurrio moaned. Shikamaru wasn't sure why this felt good for Hurrio, but he was willing to give him the pleasure that he had just received.

"That's good baby, now stick your tongue in. Fuck me with it."

Shikamaru slowly pushed his tongue into Hurrio's hole and Hurrio gave a deep moan.

"That's it baby. Get nice and deep."

Shikamaru pushed his tongue in as far as he could go. He didn't really like this too much, but it was causing so much pleasure to Hurrio he was willing to do it. Shikamaru did it for a few minutes as Hurrio moaned and pushed back against Shikamaru's tongue to make sure he was as deep as he could be.

"Fuck eat my ass baby. You're so good it this, fuck you make me feel amazing."

Hurrio couldn't believe he was able to get Shikamaru to do this. It had taken him close to a year to get Shikamaru to do much of anything and now he was finally able to get Shikamaru where he wanted him. Hurrio enjoyed being rim, but it was all about being in control of the situation. It was more pleasurable knowing he could get someone to lick his ass. Hurrio had plans for Shikamaru and he couldn't wait to do them all with him. He would make sure Shikamaru stayed as his and no one else's, especially Sasuke's. After a few more minutes Hurrio moved so he could turn around.

"Take me deep baby. I'm gonna explode soon."

Shikamaru took Hurrio deep into his mouth and worked his cock hard. Hurrio was so turned on he knew he wouldn't last long. After only a minute he put his hand in Shikamaru's hair and squeezed hard and pulled his head back.

"Open your mouth, stick your tongue out for me."

Shikamaru did as instructed and Hurrio used his free hand to jerk himself off the rest of the way. He cam hard and made sure it didn't get all in Shikamaru's mouth. He made sure he cam all over Shikamaru's face. Hurrio then moved his cock so it rubbed in his cum on Shikamaru's face before he ran it over Shikamaru's tongue.

"You are so sexy right now." Hurrio moaned as he continued. "One day I'm going to fuck you with my cum on your face. So fucking sexy."

Hurrio used his finger and wiped some cum off Shikamaru's face and he placed it in Shikamaru's mouth. "Suck it clean baby."

Shikamaru sucked on Hurrio's finger and got it clean from the cum. Hurrio did it over and over again until his cum was off Shikamaru's face. He then pulled Shikamaru up and still with his hand in his hair gave him a rough and hard kiss. Shikamaru tried to keep up and Hurrio bit Shikamaru's bottom lip before he pulled back.

"You are so sexy baby. I'll never get enough of you."

"This was different."

"Different is ok though baby. We're young, we're in love, we get to experiment with each other and see what we like and what we don't. It's all just fun. Didn't you like being finger fucked baby?"

"No I did and you're right, we can experiment with each other. What you did felt amazing."

"You mean me fucking you with my fingers?" Hurrio asked with a smirk.

"Yes I loved being finger fucked by you." Shikamaru said with a smile.

"Then we'll do it again, hopefully very soon. For now let's get you cleaned up and in bed." Hurrio said with a kiss before he turned and they both got cleaned up and ready for bed.

They went into Shikamaru's bedroom once they were dried off and Shikamaru went to get them something to sleep in. Hurrio grabbed his hand and brought him over to the bed.

"We don't bed any clothes. Sleeping with your sweet ass against my cock is all the warmth I need."

Hurrio pulled Shikamaru into bed and turned him so his back was against his chest. Hurrio grabbed Shikamaru's hips and pulled him so his ass was right against his cock.

"There all comfy now. And when we wake up, we won't have to worry about clothes getting in our way." Hurrio said as he sucked on Shikamaru's ear lobe.

"I'm too tired for another round right now." Shikamaru said as he pulled the covers higher.

"I know. But when you wake up I make no promises about behaving myself."

"Fine by me."

"Goodnight baby." Hurrio said with a kiss to his neck.

"Goodnight."

Hurrio held onto Shikamaru and watched as he fell asleep. Hurrio was already going over everything he would need to get mentally to start exploding their sexual life. He was going to get some toys and show Shikamaru a whole new world. He would show Shikamaru that being controlled was the best life for him. Shikamaru would be his pet in the bedroom and out of the bedroom. He just had to get the ground work started.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade walked into Sasuke's hospital room to see that Sasuke was awake. He looked exhausted and distress though and Tsunade could see that he no longer had the IV in his arm. Based on the blood, Tsunade figured it was safe to assume he removed it.

"Hello Sasuke, how are you feeling?"

Sasuke didn't say anything though, he just curled into Shadow more.

"He's doing as well as to be expected. He did take his IV out and he knows he needs it back in." Kakashi said.

"Do we know why he took it out?" Tsunade asked.

"Drugs are bad." Sasuke said with fear in his voice.

"Oh, ok. This drug though Sasuke is just like special water. It will help with your pneumonia so you can breathe and start feeling better. It will also help give you some nutrients and keep you hydrated. It's really important for you to have right now, especially if you want to get out of here. I really need to put it back in, ok?" Tsunade asked gently. She didn't want to force anything onto Sasuke, but she also had to make sure he was ok.

Sasuke looked over at Kakashi and he gave an encouraging nod. Sasuke gave a nod as well and Tsunade went about getting the IV back in as quickly as possible.

"How are you feeling Sasuke. Any headache or pain anywhere?"

"Hurts." Sasuke said softly.

"What hurts Sasuke?" Tsunade asked gently.

"Everything. Legs feel tingly. Head foggy. Like walking through sludge."

"And all of that is normal Sasuke. You have a lot of injuries, especially to your mind. Your mind is going to feel sluggish and foggy for a few months, but it will get better. Your legs are fine, but your previous injury is irritated from the past three years. You'll need to walk with a cane again for a little. You are going to be in pain and sore some days from it, but it'll be ok." Tsunade knew that there were a lot more complicated injuries to Sasuke, but right now was not the time to discuss it.

"I told Sasuke, that he had stitches on his stomach that he needed to be careful with." Kakashi added.

"Yes, Sasuke you need to watch moving around for a little while so they can heal. I also need to check them and make sure they are healing properly."

"Touching is bad." Sasuke said with a shaky voice.

"It's okay son, Tsunade won't hurt you. She just needs to check your stitches that's all." Kakashi said trying to soothe Sasuke.

The door to the room opened before anymore could be said. Itachi walked in and it was clear he was worried about Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes started to tear up at the sight of his brother.

"Niisan."

Itachi went right over to Sasuke and Tsunade moved back out of the way.

"Oboto, I've been looking everywhere for you." Itachi pulled Sasuke into a gentle hug, making sure he was careful of any potential injuries his brother could have.

"It was so bad." Sasuke said with tears going down his cheeks.

"Sh it's ok, it's over now little brother. You're safe now."

"Itachi, I need to check Sasuke's stitches on his stomach." Tsunade said hoping Itachi would be willing to help.

"Touching is bad. I didn't want it, I didn't want it." Sasuke cried again.

Itachi looked over at Kakashi and Kakashi could see the unasked question in them.

"Long story, not how you are thinking. Or how you are thinking I should say, but with a female."

Confusion flickered through Itachi's eyes, but he knew now was not the time to talk about it.

"What if I held you while Tsunade looked at them? Would that be ok little brother?"

"I only need a couple of minutes Sasuke, I promise." Tsunade said.

Sasuke gave a shaky nod as he knew they weren't going to let this go. Itachi moved so he could hold Sasuke against his chest. Tsunade went quickly and moved Sasuke's shirt up and Itachi couldn't believe how thin and how many bruises covered Sasuke's torso. Whatever happened these past three years, it was nothing good. Tsunade kept her word and after two minutes she spoke as she put Sasuke's shirt back down.

"They are a little irritated, so you need to be careful with moving Sasuke. But none are pulled so they will continue to heal nicely."

"The best thing for you to do right now Sasuke is get some sleep. You're exhausted, you need rest." Kakashi said,

"I don't feel well." Sasuke said as he curled into Itachi's arms.

"I know Son. You need sleep. Why don't you lay down and I'll put a cool cloth on your forehead to help make you feel a bit better." Kakashi suggested, ignoring the weird look Itachi gave him at the word son.

Sasuke gave a sleepy nod and Itachi moved out of the way to help get Sasuke down. Sasuke curled up on his right side and Shadow curled up with him. Itachi ran his hand through Sasuke's hair as Kakashi got a cloth damp with cold water. He placed it on Sasuke's forehead to try and help soothe any fever he might have and hopefully help him feel better enough to fall asleep. They all stayed in the room until they were certain that Sasuke was fast asleep.

"Stay with him Shadow. I'll be right back." Kakashi whispered.

The three of them headed out of the room and Itachi didn't even waste a second before he spoke with a deadly tone.

"You called him son. Why would you call my little brother that Kakashi?" Itachi wasn't going to let anyone take advantage of Sasuke for any reason.

"You've been gone for ten years, you don't get to make judgements like that or pretend to know anything about him. I call him son, because to me he is my son. I love him like my son and he calls me dad, for the same reason." Kakashi explained, but the anger was clear in his voice.

"You both have a lot to discuss, in the meantime I'd like to go over the more important information. Like his health and what has happened in the past three years." Tsunade said clearly not looking to be in the middle of this conversation that would come shortly.

"And that would be what?" Itachi snapped.

"The note that was left three years ago was not written by Sasuke. A young boy and his father came to Kakashi and informed him that Sasuke hadn't left willingly. He was captured by two men involved in an underground fighting ring, for lack of a better word. He was kept in a small room, with Shadow who was a puppy at the time. He was tortured and forced to fight other captives. He was also drugged and raped by female captives until that captive became pregnant and gave birth. At that point she was killed and the child was in the room with the father. Long story short, Sasuke has two children, a year old son name Kai and an eight month old daughter named Yin." Tsunade started.

"This whole time he's been trapped there? And this organization?" Itachi asked with barely controlled anger.

"I took multiple squads to the location. There was just shy of a hundred captives, not including the children. The whole place was empty of any guard. They are in the wind right now." Kakashi answered.

"Your niece and nephew are alright. Kai does have some delayed developments in the form of walking and talking, but with time he will catch back up. They just need food and rest for now. They are in the Pediatric wing. Sasuke has many injuries to his brain, it is why is speech is scattered. They will heal, but it will take roughly six months. He has three dics in his back that have dissolved from the torture and conditions of the past three years. He will need back surgery to fix it, but it's not something I can do until he is more physically healed. His left leg was broken in three places previously, but it is healed. It didn't heal properly, but the only way I can repair it would be to break it in those three places. It would be a lot of pain for something that just isn't worth it. He'll need to walk with a cane until his legs have regained some strength. Three years ago Sasuke was injured as you know. He had to learn how to walk again, that old injury is acting up. He also has a severe case of pneumonia that he is on medication for. The best thing for Sasuke right now is to sleep and start eating again." Tsunade explained.

"And you have nothing on these assholes?" Itachi asked with rage throughout his voice.

"No one is talking. We have a hundred and twenty-two victims, children included, but no one is talking and the ones that do know nothing." Tsunade answered.

"How could you let this happen?" Itachi asked Kakashi with pure rage in his voice.

"Me? I've been looking for him for three years. While you put a mission ahead of him." Kakashi snapped back.

"I trusted him with you." Itachi said,

"The only ones to blame for this are the ones that took Sasuke and run this organization. Now, we need to discuss where Sasuke and the children will go once they are released." Tsunade said not looking to see where this argument would have led.

"With me. I am their legal guardian until Sasuke turns eighteen." Itachi said not liking the question at all.

"Except you lost that guardianship when you left at thirteen. No new papers have been filed, not to mention Sasuke is sixteen and old enough to make the decision himself." Kakashi argued.

"He can't until his mind is cleared medically. This is a decision you both have to make together." Tsunade said.

"He's living with me where he is safe." Itachi said as he turned to look at Kakashi. He wasn't expecting anyone to fight him on this.

"He's my son Itachi. He should be with me. Him and the kids should be with me, where I can help take care of them. You are not equipped or mature enough for this."

"I'm not mature enough? I've been a ninja since I was seven, in ANBU at eleven. I was more mature than you at eleven than you are now. I killed my family for him. There is no one safer but me for my brother and his children." Itachi said pissed that Kakashi would ever call him immature.

"That does not mean you are able to handle raising the three of them. Sasuke needs constant looking after right now until he is healed. Not to mention the mental and emotional pain he will be in. Yin is just an infant and Kai is a two year old that has been in hell his whole life. You're an amazing ninja, but you and I both know the second any information about this organization comes up you'll leave and kill them until the very last one is dead. You can't do this." Kakashi argued as their voices raised.

"That's enough both of you. This is a hospital, people are trying to heal. Take this argument to Kakashi's apartment and then come back here when you have an agreement." Tsunade ordered.

"I'm not leaving him." Itachi argued back.

"I'm not either." Kakashi agreed.

"Make a clone to watch him. Both of you get out and don't come back until you have come to an adult decision about these three traumatised kids. Now." Tsunade said too tired to be dealing with any added drama.

Kakashi let out a sigh as he made a shadow clone of himself and Itachi did the same thing.

"You remember where I live?" Kakashi asked with a tight voice.

"Hn." Itachi just said before he disappeared.

"Asshole." Kakashi said under his breath before he too headed out. The clones went into Sasuke's room and waited until the originals returned. Tsunade gave her head a shake and she couldn't help but wonder how badly they were going to be injured when they returned.

Kakashi arrived at his apartment to see Itachi already there and he still looked pissed, which was as much emotion he had seen on Itachi's face since he had known him. Kakashi ignored Itachi as he unlocked his door and headed inside. Itachi slammed the door behind him and Kakashi knew it was on.

"What right do you have to come here after being gone for almost a decade and just decide that Sasuke would live with you?" Kakashi yelled.

"I was away on a mission. A mission I had to take because I kept my brother alive. I killed my family, my parents for him. I spent a decade with some of the worst criminals in the world, for him. So what right do you have to tell me that I'm not good enough for them when you were the one that lost him? Why should I ever let you around any of them when you didn't even know he was captured? You failed him Kakashi, again!" Itachi yelled as he got closer breathing heavy.

"I failed him? I didn't know he was captured and I still spent the past three years trying to find him. I got him out. I got them out and back home. None of this might not have happened if you had grown some balls and stood up against the Council and refused to leave. If you had decided to be a real brother to him and not put him second to the village. The second the village needs you, you'll leave them on their own to deal with it again. Killing your parents doesn't change that you left him on his own for seven years. He lived on the streets for fuck sake!" Kakashi said as he got into Itachi's face also breathing hard.

"I didn't have an option. They were going to kill him! You think it doesn't bother me? You think I didn't worry about him every second of every day. That killing them, my own parents meant nothing to me? They made a lot of mistakes, but they were still my parents and I killed them for him! You know nothing about sacrificing everything for someone! You are nothing but some playboy with no concept of responsibilities outside of your hounds!"

"I've been taking care of him since he was twelve. It's been me there at night when he was screaming from the nightmares! It was me that had to help him learn how to walk again. It was me who was there when he first had to kill someone! And you didn't have to kill them, you could have told me. I would have helped you figure something out. But of course you couldn't do that. You couldn't ask for help, you arrogant, egotistical, stubborn, son of a bitch!"

They were both just barely an inch apart breathing heavy. Kakashi had no idea what had taken over him, but it was like all of the pain and anger in the past three years was just coming out and Itachi was that target.

"I'm arrogant? You're the one parading around with your eye that you got from my dead cousin! The great copycat ninja and you weren't even smart enough to see that Sasuke was captured! You." Itachi was cut off when Kakashi pulled his mask down and pulled Itachi into a kiss.

Itachi didn't even hesitate to kiss back just as hard and fierce. Kakashi fisted the back of Itachi's hair as he slammed him back into the wall and grind their crotch together. They both moaned and Kakashi pulled Itachi away from the wall and down the hallway to his room. Itachi worked on removing Kakashi's clothes as they moved and fought for control over the kiss. By the time they reached the bedroom, they were both naked and their clothes had been scattered around the room and into the hallway. Kakashi pushed Itachi down onto the bed before he crawled on top of him and continued to kiss him. Kakashi forced Itachi's legs to open as he reached over to grab some lube out of the bedside drawer.

Itachi ran his hands over Kakashi's hair and gave it a pull, making Kakashi groan and grind their hard ons together. Kakashi got enough lube onto his fingers and he didnt even waste a second before he inserted one finger then quickly a second. Itachi ran his nails down Kakashi's back as he moaned into the kiss. Kakashi made quick work of finding Itachi's sweet spot and he knew he had it when Itachi broke the kiss and let out a loud moan. Itachi pushed his hips down so Kakashi's finger would go deeper. Kakashi started to suck and bite Itachi's neck as he added a third finger and aimed for Itachi's sweet spot each time. Itachi pulled Kakashi's hair and scratched down his back.

Once Kakashi was sure Itachi was stretched enough he took his fingers out and flipped Itachi so he was on his back. Itachi moved so he was on his hands and knees as Kakashi moved behind him. Kakashi lined up with Itachi's hole and pushed in. He took it slightly slow, but once he was balls deep he pulled all the way out ad slammed back in. Causing them both to moan. Itachi bent down on his elbows so his ass was more angled and Kakashi slammed into his sweet spot, causing Itachi to let out a small scream. Kakashi gripped Itachi's hip in a bruising grip and pounded into him deep and hard. They were both a moaning mess and Itachi met Kakashi's thrust with his own.

"Oh fuck." Itachi moaned as he moved his left hand to grip the top of the headboard.

Kakashi moaned as he grabbed a fitsfull of Itachi's hair and pulled it so he was not on his knees with his back against his chest. Kakashi kept his hand in Itachi's hair as he tilted his head back so he could bite and suck on Itachi's neck, causing Itachi to moan. Itachi moved his left hand to Kakashi's ass to keep Kakashi nice and deep inside of him.

"So tight." Kakashi moaned as he picked up his pace.

Itachi dug his nails into Kakashi's ass so hard, Kakashi would be surprised if there wasn't blood. They were both close, that much was obvious.

"Make yourself cum. I want to feel it." Kakashi said as he sucked hard on the back of Itachi's neck.

Itachi moved his hand and started to jerk himself off in time with Kakashi's hard thrusts. It was barely five minutes later when Itachi was cumming with a loud scream. The pressure around Kakashi's dick was too much and with a final shove he cam hard and deep buried inside Itachi's ass with a heavy groan himself. Both were a mess of sweat and heavy breathing. Kakashi let go of Itachi's hair and Itachi allowed his body to fall forward so he was on his hands and knees once again. Kakashi gently pulled himself out of Itachi's ass and rolled onto his back beside him. Itachi still breathing heavy got up and went into the connecting bathroom to get cleaned up, giving Kakashi's mind some time to catch up to what had just happened.

He just had sex with Itachi, Uchiha Itachi. He was in a loving relationship with Iruka, but he just had sex with Itachi. Very angry and very hot sex, quite possibly the best sex he's ever had. Kakashi had no idea how this had happened. He had shown Itachi his face, that never happens. Kakashi knew he was pissed, but he had no idea how he had ever gone from pissed to pounding the life out of Itachi in his bed. Only once before had Kakashi ever does something sexual in the heat of an argument and that was when he was seventeen with Itachi. This made no sense and he had no idea what Itachi was going to do now.

Itachi came out of the bathroom and grabbed his pants as he spoke.

"We should live together."

"What?" Kakashi asked confused as he got up himself and grabbed his pants.

"Neither one of us wants to let Sasuke live with the other. The compromise would be to live together. Find a house with a finished basement. One sleeps up with them and the other downstairs. Everyone gets what they want." Itachi explained as he continued to get dressed.

Kakashi had to admit that was a very adult and obvious solution. One they should have figured out if they hadn't been so pissed off before.

"Who sleeps in the basement?"

"I will. Tactical advantage makes most sense for me to come from downstairs. My brother and his children have been through enough, even if the little ones won't remember it. They shouldn't have to be divided between us. I won't force my brother to choose between his brother and his father." Itachi said with an edge of pain to his voice.

"You're right, we shouldn't be fighting over who gets them. They need both of us in their lives and there is a lot of work where they are involved. The least we can do is be adult and civil about this for their sake. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I'm so angry at myself and at the bastards who hurt him. I had no right to take it out on you." Kakashi said sincerely.

"I had no right to take it out on you for the situation. This isn't how I expected my mission to end. I have no right to take my problems out on you. For the record, when there is any information on this organization I plan on killing every last one of them."

"You won't hear an argument from me." Kakashi said with hatred in his voice, that Itachi knew wasn't directed towards him.

Itachi made his way out into the living room to gather the rest of his clothes and Kakashi followed. Once they were both dressed Itachi went over to the door, but stopped and turned around.

"I was going to tell you. That last night, I was going to tell you. I wanted to tell you so badly, but in the end I couldn't do that to you."

"Do what Itachi? Hold the secret?" Kakashi asked gently as he desperately wanted answers about this for close to a decade now.

"No, I knew you could keep a secret better than anyone. I knew you would stand by the village to avoid another war. If I had told you, you would have wanted to fix it. You were the only person that would have been able to convince me to take Sasuke and run. You would have done it yourself. Risked your life just so I wouldn't have had to commit genocide. I couldn't do that to you."

"You're damn right I would have taken your place. You were thirteen, they were your family. As screwed up as they were, they were your family, your parents. You don't deserve that level of pain. I would have helped you. I would have spent the last ten years with you, watching your back. I know it would have destroyed you, killing your parents. The pain you would have felt doing it and then Sasuke walks into the room in the middle of it all. That's a wound to your heart that will never heal, no matter how much time has past." Kakashi said sadly for Itachi.

"I almost didn't do it. They were on their knees facing away from me for five minutes while I fought to hold the sword. They could have fought me, they could have ran, but they didn't. They accepted that I had picked a different side. They didn't even ask about Sasuke. I'll never be able to forget. I'll never get their blood off my sword. I did it for a better life for Sasuke, for Konoha. Maybe a life on the run would have been better for him if I had taken him away that night." Itachi said sounding full of remorse.

"Don't do that. Don't second guess your choices, especially ones made so long ago. Sasuke survived. He survived everything that has happened to him and he will survive this. But this time he has the both of us there to make sure his life is something so much more. He can't be a ninja again, he gets to be anyone he wants now. The whole world is in the palm of his hand, we just have to get him healthy again."

"I hope he takes them and he travels the world. Shows them what he fought for. He deserves a much better life than that of a ninja. It's too late for us, we've seen and done too much. But Sasuke has a chance at seeing the beauty in this world without it being clouded over by shadows. I hope he takes it."

"He will. We get him healthy and he will. I'm worried about the children. He hasn't even asked about them yet."

"They are a product of rape. He might want nothing to do with them, that's his right and choice. I won't give them up Kakashi."

"I won't either, but Shikamaru's parents, Yoshino and Shikaku have offered to let them stay at there house from time to time when a break is needed. We might need to give them up for a night or a weekend to try and get Sasuke to miss them. I think he'll come around eventually once his mind has had the chance to process everything. It's going to be hard at first though,"

"He'll get through it. No one can make him want them, it has to be his decision and his alone. He's a good kid, he'll make the right choice in the end."

"I believe so." Kakashi easily agreed.

"I need to get back to him. I'll see you later."

"I'll be there shortly, just need to make a stop first."

Itachi gave a nod and turned to head out of the house. Kakashi followed and made sure the door was locked before they both took off in different directions. Itachi made his way back to the hospital so he could be with Sasuke and see his niece and nephew. While Kakashi had to go and speak to someone about what had just happened.

Itachi arrived at the hospital he went to see the little ones first. He knew from his clone that Sasuke was still sound asleep safe. He wanted to check on the children first and make sure they were alright and cared for. Itachi arrived at the room and saw who he assumed was Shikamaru's parents in the room. The little boy was in Yoshino's lap while Yin was asleep in the incubator. Itachi went over to the incubator as he spoke.

"You must be the Nara boy's parents."

"I'm Shikaku and this is my wife Yoshino. Our son is Shikamaru. Have you been informed of what has happened?"

"I am. I just wanted to check on them before going back to Sasuke."

"How is he?" Yoshino asked concerned.

"Sleeping. He seems very attached to the dog."

"Shadow. He got him as a puppy for a companion. Shadow was taken with Sasuke at the time to make it more believable. He's been through a lot the poor dog. He did everything he could to keep them all safe and warm in that awful room." Yoshino answered.

"I don't think Sasuke would know what to do without him around." Shikaku added.

"Do you like dogs?" Yoshino asked.

"I like that dog." Itachi said with a shrug as he put his hand through the allowed hole in the incubator. Shikamaru's parents knew that Itachi wasn't a dog person then, but he would put up with one because it meant so much to Sasuke.

"She's doing well. She is having a harder time with her body temperature and keeping it up, but Tsunade said it was to be expected with how small she is and where she was kept. Kai is doing really well. We've been working on walking and trying to get him to make some sounds so he can start to talk." Yoshino said trying her best to be friendly with Itachi, because she knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"Tsunade said he was having some delays due to the conditions. Children learn quick in the right environment. When can they be released?"

"I believe it was a week Tsunade said, but she might keep them here longer if she has any concerns. Shikaku answered.

"Do you have a place to stay Itachi? You could stay with us if you'd like until you found a place. I'm not really sure what is going to happen with Sasuke and the little ones." Yoshino offered.

"Thank-you, that's nice for you to offer, but I'll be with Sasuke the whole time. As for living arrangements Kakashi and I have agreed to get a place together and raise them. He did mention that you had an interest in having them as well."

"Only part-time. It was just in case Sasuke wasn't mentally ready for them yet. I didn't want him to get healthy and better again only to discover his children are gone forever. I didn't want that regret hanging over him or for them to be broken up in the system. It's good that they can be with family and Sasuke can still see them all the time." Yoshino answered.

"I appreciate that. Not many people in this world would offer what you were willing to do. And if you'd still like to help Kakashi and I would not be saying no to it. Some time with the kids away might be what Sasuke needs in the future to discover what they truly mean to him."

"I agree and the offer will alway stand, even if it is for just a weekend here and there. Kia is afraid of the dark and to sleep alone. Yin sleeps very well for her age, but now that she is eating properly she is making up for lost time with waking every two hours for food." Yoshino said.

"It's good that she is eating well. And a fear of the dark is to be expected in them. It wouldn't surprise me if Sasuke has the same problem. All fears can be worked through and overcome with the right amount of time and love. I need to get back to Sasuke. Thank-you for everything you've done for them, for Sasuke. You've become like parents to him and for a child that never had that growing up, it means a lot to him. I'll forever be in your debt."

"Oh sweetie, it's what you do for family. You're family now, whether you like it or not. I expect to see you at family dinners with the rest of us. We have three years to make up for, so you get ready for a lot of family time."

"And being kicked out of your own kitchen." Shikaku said with a smile.

"I can't cook, so I won't complain."

"You can't cook? Didn't your mother ever teach you?" Yoshino asked gently.

"No she wasn't much of one either. She taught me how to bake and I know how to make grilled cheese sandwiches, Sasuke's favorite. Other than that I'm more of a open a can type of cook." Itachi admitted with a shrug.

"Oh no." Shikaku said as he already knew what was coming.

"No, no, no mister that will not do. Every man needs to know how to cook to give his wife or husband the night off. Not to mention these little ones need more than grilled cheese sandwiches to survive. I am going to teach you how to cook. We'll start off small and simple and work up from there. Breakfast, we'll start with breakfast. The most important meal of the day, especially to young minds, but you can also cook it anytime of the day. We get them in their new home, I'm teaching you how to cook."

"Don't try and fight it son, once she gets an idea in her mind it's a done deal. She will be over bright and early one morning with shopping bags and a very loud voice. Accept your fate and move on to a battle you could win." Shikaku said with sympathy in his voice.

"Learning to cook other food might be beneficial as I don't know if Kakashi can cook. I enjoy learning new things. As long as we don't burn down the house it can't hurt to try." Itachi said, though it was clear he was uncomfortable with this conversation.

He used to be somewhat good at social conversations, but after being gone for so long he wasn't used to nice people. It was going to take him some time to get used to being around normal people again.

"There's the spirit. You go be with Sasuke, we'll be here until around dinner time before we need to head home and get cleaned up and changed." Yoshino said warmly.

Itachi gave a nod and headed out of the room and back to Sasuke's room. Itachi didn't know how he felt about the Nara's but they seemed like nice people and Sasuke seemed to be close to them after what happened the last time Itachi had to come to Konoha. Itachi was willing to adapt and be what Sasuke needed him to be in order for Sasuke to get better. Itachi walked in and saw the clones were still there and Sasuke still in the same position. Itachi released his clone and punched Kakashi's clone to make it disappear. Itachi wasn't about to have Kakashi, clone or not, hanging around with him while he was with his brother. Sasuke was more than safe with him there. Itachi removed his coat and placed it on the back of a chair before he got up on the bed and laid down with his chest against Sasuke's back. Shadow's head popped up, but Itachi placed his hand on Shadow's back and Shadow went back to laying down. Itachi placed a gentle kiss to the back of Sasuke's head before he took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. Allowing himself to rest knowing that Sasuke was safe once again.

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Kakashi arrived at Asuma's home and knocked on the door. He needed to talk about this to someone and the only person he could think of that wouldn't judge him was Asuma. After a moment Asuma opened the door and gave Kakashi a warm smile.

"Kakashi, I didn't expect to see you here. Come in."

Asuma moved back to allow Kakashi to enter before he closed the door. He spoke as he made his way over to sit down on the couch.

"What brings you by? How is Sasuke?"

"He's as well as to be expected. He woke up and Tsunade said he's healing well. His mind is very confused and scrambled."

"Well that is to be expected I would imagine with the number of head injuries he has. How are you doing with all of this?"

"I had sex with Itachi." Kakashi said as he started to pace around.

"Wait what?" Asuma asked shocked and confused.

"Yup." Kakashi simply said.

"When?"

"Just now."

"When did Itachi get back to the village?" Asuma had no idea what was going on.

"About two hours ago."

"How do you have sex with someone that you haven't seen in almost a decade inside of two hours? Why did you have sex with him?" Asuma asked stills hocked, but there was no judgement in his voice at least.

"It just happened. We were arguing at the hospital about where Sasuke and the kids will live. I want them with me and he wanted them with him. Tsunade kicked us out and told us not to come back until we had made a decision. We went to my place, where more arguing happened and the next thing I know I'm pulling my mask down and kissing him. That turned into angry hot sex."

"How do you go from arguing with someone to having sex with them? Especially someone that is not your boyfriend."

"I don't know what happened. I've had arguments before with people, even 've screamed at each other, but never has it ever become something more. I showed him my face, Iruka has never seen it. I don't understand how this happened again."

"Again? When did you have sex with Itachi before?" Asuma's mind was literally blown in this moment.

"Not sex. It was the night before the massacre. We were at my place arguing about something unimportant and next thing I know were making out and dry humping on my couch. He was the first guy I ever did anything with. Before that I didn't even know I liked guys too."

"Ah, ok. Now it makes sense."

"Nothing about this makes sense."

"No it does. Itachi was your first, not the virgin first, but your first encounter with a boy. He's the one that opened the floodgates and allowed you to see that you were bi-sexual. There's something about Itachi that your mind can't stop liking or finding attractive. Even after all these years that attraction you have is still there and apparently extremely strong."

"But I'm old enough to not act on that attraction. I cheated on Iruka, with Uchiha Itachi of all people. After everything Iruka and I have been through, after the past three years I've cheated on him, on the man that I love."

"Just because you love someone, doesn't mean you are meant to be."

"And that person is Itachi?" Kakashi asked skeptical.

"I'm not saying that. This could have easily been just the past three years exploding and Itachi was that person there for it. It could also be that on a subconscious level you both are attracted to each other. Sometimes things happen that we can't explain. Some people who are completely wrong for each other are actually perfect for each other. I'm not saying that is the case, but it's possible Iruka isn't the man you were meant to be with. Sometimes no matter how much we love someone we don't end up with them. What are you going to tell Iruka?"

"Nothing. It won't happen again. I'm not going to tell him. There's no reason to. It was a mistake and it won't happen again. I won't let it."

"Well only time will tell on that one. I think you should tell Iruka, but it's your choice. I highly doubt Itachi would say anything. He could sleep with every village leader and no one would know about it. What was it like?"

"Amazing. It was the best sex of my life." Kakashi answered and he plopped down in the chair.

"I'm shocked that he's gay. I always thought he would be more asexual than anything. You didn't take his virginity right?" Asuma asked as that would have complicated things.

"If he was a virgin he was the most open minded and fearless virgin in history. He was tight, but he wasn't virgin tight. I'm confident in that at least."

"What was he like afterwards? It had to be awkward."

"It wasn't. He got cleaned up in the bathroom than said we should live together."

"What?" Asuma asked confused.

"I have to admit I was a little worried about it at first, but it makes sense. We both want Sasuke and the kids to ourselves, Itachi argued that it would make more sense for all of us to live together. We can find a house with a finished basement for one of us to sleep in. Sasuke and the kids get both of us and we both get to be with them. I also don't have to worry about Itachi leaving them alone to hunt down this organization and Itachi gets to kill them without feeling guilty. It was a simple compromise that I should have suggested from the start."

"Well, that does make perfect sense. How are you going to live with Itachi though while you date Iruka. Does Itachi even know you are dating someone?"

"Nope. I'm going to have to talk to Itachi about it and explain that it was a mistake that can't happen again. I don't see him caring. Itachi isn't the type. Itachi only cares about Sasuke, the kids and killing these bastards. As long as nothing gets in the way of those three things he won't care what anyone does."

"And you are sure that you living with Itachi would be the smartest thing?"

"I won't let what happened, happen again. We are just going to work together to take care of Sasuke and the kids. It's going to be a lot of work it'll be good to have Itachi around to help with them. It takes some pressure and stress off my shoulders."

"It would make the most sense for you both to be living together and raising them. If you think it won't be a problem then I'll support you on it. I still think you should tell Iruka about what happened, but no one can make you."

"I won't happen again. Iruka has been through enough in the past three years, he doesn't need this to go with it. Everything will be fine."

"If you are sure. Where is Itachi now?"

"He wen back to the hospital. I should get going. I don't want to be gone if Sasuke wakes up again. He didn't handle it well the first time."

"He'll recover from this old friend, don't worry too much about it. Go be with your son and let me know if there is anything you need help with."

"I will thank-you Asuma." Kakashi said with a warm smile.

"Anytime, you know that. Go be with your son." Asuma said with a friendly smile.

Kakashi headed out of the house and made his way down the street. He didn't know what would happen in the future, but he did know he wasn't going to hurt Iruka like this again. It was a one time thing and he would not let it repeat itself. It was just the stress and anger of the last three years that had exploded. Kakashi would not let it happen again. Him and Itachi were just going to be two adults working together to raise these kids and be there for Sasuke in his recovery. With that determination Kakashi headed to the hospital and into Sasuke's room. He had to stand there for a moment and taken in the sight that greeted him. There in the room was Itachi curled up with Sasuke in his arms and Shadow curled up beside them.

Kakashi went over to the chair on the right side of the bed. He knew that Itachi was lightly sleeping, but he would be deadly if someone was a threat to Sasuke. Kakashi couldn't help but notice how peaceful Itachi looked asleep with Sasuke in his arms. Kakashi knew that Itachi had also been through some horrific experiences within the past decade and he would have his own problems. Kakashi was hoping they would be able to survive this and not destroy each other. They both wanted Sasuke and the kids safe and healthy. Hopefully together they would be able to get them all through this and onto a better life. Kakashi knew only time would tell what would come from this new arrangement.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Wow didn't realize it had been so long since I've updated this fic. My bad! So real quick, I'm not going to have Itachi sick in this fic, so let's pretend he's perfectly healthy. It would be too complicated to try and figure all of that out. Especially because Sasuke wouldn't be healthy enough for an eye transplant. Just easier for Itachi to be healthy and a badass.**_

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Chapter 3

It was just after eight the next morning when Itachi woke up. He was instantly shocked that he had slept so long and so soundly. He normally only slept for a few hours at a time and he woke up to every sound that went off. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had slept this long and this deep. Itachi saw that Kakashi had walked back into the room with Shadow. Shadow jumped back up on the bed and stayed at the foot to give them both some room. Itachi looked over at Sasuke, who was still curled up against him asleep.

"He hasn't even moved since we got back yesterday." Kakashi said.

Itachi slowly moved back from Sasuke, being careful not to wake him up. He slowly rubbed his face, trying to wake himself up.

"Did anyone come in?" Itachi asked.

"Tsunade earlier to check on Sasuke and a nurse a few times throughout the night to check his vitals. Everything is good."

"I slept through it?" Itachi said more to himself. He was clearly surprised that he had slept through it.

"You were obviously tired. I can't imagine you've slept very well in the past ten years. You always had trouble sleeping as I remember."

"I don't remember the last time I've slept all night."

Itachi got up off the bed and stretched his sore muscles out.

"You clearly needed it. So did Sasuke. I didn't know if you drink it, but I got you a coffee."

"Hn." Itachi said, as he went and grabbed his coffee. He put a little but of milk into it before he added five sugar packages to it.

"I'm not sure that is coffee at this point." Kakashi lightly teased.

"It wakes me up."

"Sugar always did that for you. I still have yet to meet anyone that eats more sugar than you. It's nice to see that has not changed."

"Why is that nice?" Itachi asked confused by the implication.

Kakashi gave a smile, they were definitely brothers. "It means that even after all these years I know something about you."

"How are the kids?" Itachi asked, as he went to sit down in a chair.

"Good considering. Yin is up every two hours to feed. She is still on milk only. Tsunade wants her to get used to it before she introduces baby food. She only got a little bit of milk every day from what she could tell. She doesn't want to shock her system."

"How long will she be on milk only?"

"A couple of days until her system gets used to eating on a regular basis. Tsunade wants to make sure she is no longer malnourished and her stomach adjusts to having food."

"And Kai?"

"He is on soft, bland food, mostly soup and ice cream. For a couple of days at least until he can be moved up to more solid and interesting food. From what Yoshino has said he is very interested in trying new food. Both are still healthy."

"And mentally?"

"That's going to be a long road. Yin is doing better than Kai. She's too young to even register anything that happened. Kai will still remember some of it. He's having nightmares multiple times a night. He's skittish and has a habit of hiding when someone new enters the room, especially men. We need to work on Kai right away. He's probably seen Sasuke being hurt. And with them living with us, I don't want Kai fearing either of us. He needs to be able to trust and rely on us to be there for him. We need to start spending time with him, let him get to know us."

Itachi gave a nod. "When are they cleared to be released?"

"Within six days. I told Tsunade that we are looking for a house together with a finished basement. She is going to get on it. Yoshino and Shikaku have a spare bedroom they are getting organized so they can have the kids some days or nights, when we need the break. When Sasuke needs the break. We have no idea how he's going to be once he can leave here. It's going to be a long and hard six months."

"We should take shifts between Sasuke and the kids. Sasuke, when can he be discharged?"

"Three weeks roughly. Shifts is a good idea. We need to be careful not to burn ourselves out, we won't be good to any of them if we get sick. Once we have a house we need to figure out what we need for them. The kids won't have anything and I only have personal items from Sasuke's place. You also don't have furniture. We can use my things from my apartment, but it's not much. Especially with this many of us."

"I'll handle it."

"No, we'll both handle it. I know financially you and Sasuke are very well off, but I'm not sitting in the poor house over here. I have enough in my savings to retire and live very comfortably for the rest of my life. You are not going to be the only one paying bills and buying things for the house. We split everything. You buy things for your room and one of the kids. I'll take Sasuke and the other kid. We can split the rest of the house and toys."

"Fair enough. We should start a list of what we will need for the little ones."

"We should, we don't want to miss something or end up with too many of something." Kakashi agreed, as he got up and grabbed a pad of paper and a pen that was in the room. He spoke as he sat down and started to write. "Kid by kid?"

"Makes sense and have a common for both."

"Yin first. Crib, mobile, dresser, diapers, clothes, a changing pad, bottles, wipes, diaper cream. What else?"

"Does she have all of her teeth?"

"No she doesn't. So something for teething would be good. A high chair too."

"Kai should get a booster seat as well. What about a stroller for them?"

"We could look, we might be able to find a double stroller for them that would work. Kai won't be able to walk very far for a while, a stroller would be easier than trying to carry everything and everyone. And Kai he needs a bed, a dresser, storage for toys and books."

"A small table might be nice, he can color on it."

"Oh ya he is old enough for all of that. It's been a long time since I've been around small children. I've never had to care for one. Lucky for us, you raised Sasuke until he was seven."

"Motor skills are the most important right now for Kai. He needs to be walking and talking, but he also needs to be able to hold a crayon, a fork, be able to use blocks. He's going to be behind in all of that. Toys will help him learn and with proper food his muscles will gain the strength they need. He should learn quickly. I'll handle Kai's room. Yin will be easier for you."

"What should she be able to do?"

"Crawl, babble and pick up toys. Once she is healthy she will be crawling everywhere, getting into everything. We will need to baby proof the whole house, even for Kai too. He's going to be just as curious."

"Ok so for the both of them, we need baby gates for the stairs on top and bottom, electrical plugs, locks for the doors and kitchen cabinets. What else?"

"If the floor is hardwood, rugs would be good. I used to put padding around sharp corners on the tables. Safe cleaning supplies, both of them suck their thumbs we don't want dangerous chemicals on their hands. They have foam pads with designs on them for bedrooms. Eventually Yin will figure out how to get out of her crib."

"Ok. Good this is good. We also need medicine for fevers, a thermometer, bath stuff, Kai needs pull ups. They both need clothes and toys, blankets, stuffed animals, books, coloring stuff."

"Art supplies would be handy. It'll help Kai with motor skills. Most kids love playing with paint and getting messy. Plastic plates, bowls, cups and kid utensils. Movies, could always get Sasuke to nap if I put a movie on."

"They would also be good for education too. I don't have a dvd player, we can pick one up."

"We should think about something for the backyard for them. A little playground. It would be good for their strength."

"That is a good idea. It would also be something else they could play with or Kai if Yin is sleeping. They also need as much sunlight as possible right now."

"We could get a portable playpen for Yin. She could be in it while we are busy and can't watch her. She could also be in it outside."

"I like that and we could take it with us somewhere. What about Sasuke? He needs the basics, but is there something else to help him be more comfortable or feel at home?"

"He loves to read, especially crime books. He loves music, instrumental and classical were always his favorite growing up. He found it soothing. Maybe a sound machine, the sound of waves always calmed him growing up. He used to get night terrors and it seemed to be the only thing that really helped him. I found that out too late. He likes taking photos. He likes to garden and grow his own vegetables. That's all I know though."

"That's a lot more than I had. Before he was taken I was working with him on being his age and not being an adult. He was starting to come into that. I know he has two very young kids now, but he needs to still be his age. He needs to figure out who he is. He can't be a ninja anymore. He needs to find where he is going to fit in the world now."

"He'll have all the time he needs. I'm not about to drop all of this responsibility on him, even once he is healed. He's too young for that much responsibility."

"Do you think he'll want them?"

"He will. He already made that choice."

"He kept them alive." Kakashi fully understood what Itachi meant.

"He made sure they ate more than him. He helped Kai learn how to walk the best that he could. He made sure they were warm, made sure Shadow kept them warm over him. He could have let them die. He could have forced his captors to move them to someone else. He chose to care for them. He did the best he could. He's going to doubt himself. He might even hate himself for not doing enough for them. He's going to have a hard time knowing how to interact with them, how to care for them. But he'll learn, with time he'll figure out how to be a dad. Until then it's on us."

"And we'll be there. I'm not going on missions until Sasuke is fully healed. I'll still have work to do for the ANBU, but it can be done at home most of it. I know you want to go after this group, but have you thought about in what capacity you will be doing it? A ninja or ANBU again?"

"I don't think the other ANBU would be too pleased to have me back in their folds."

"More so than you think. A lot of them respect the hell out of you. Plus everyone found out you were on a mission and were ordered to kill the Clan. That put a lot of disgust on the Council that you killed. They would take you back with open arms, if that is something you are interested in doing. I'm in charge of ANBU and could make you a Captain again. Think about it and see. It's not something you need to figure out now."

"I liked being in the ANBU. I liked the missions and working with the squad. I liked protecting the village. I want to go after this group though."

"If being in the ANBU is something you want to do, I could make it so your squad were the ones that chased down every lead for this organization. And you could stay off missions until something comes up. It gives you time with them."

"I would like to go back into ANBU. It felt right my time there. If you are sure it wouldn't be an issue."

"It wouldn't. I'd have to juggle a few squads around to make a squad for you, but we are high in numbers right now so it would be good to have another squad. I'll get the paperwork in order."

"What do we know about this organization?"

"Next to nothing. Sasuke was gone for three years and they already had captives. One boy was taken at ten, he's seventeen now. They have been there for a long time and none of us knew it. The captives that have been spoken to, they don't know anything. I'm hoping that once Sasuke's mind has the chance to heal he'll be able to tell us something."

"Did Sasuke tell that kid anything about them?"

"He did. We know they have an accent, Sasuke thought they were from the Cloud area. They were mostly dressed in black with climbing boots. He saw some tattoos on their necks, but we don't know what. He should be able to tell us more, we can try asking him when he's awake, but with his traumatic head injuries, it might be too hard for him."

"Knowing what area they were coming from and how long roughly this has been going on is a large help. How many captives were rescued?"

"Not including the children, a hundred and thirty-two. Fifty-eight children as well. It's a huge cluster fuck right now trying to figure out who everyone is, who has children and who was taking care of children after the parents were dead. Trying to find family for them all. So far from what Tsunade was able to gather roughly thirty percent were either runaways or orphans. The other seventy were grabbed right from their home and treated as runaways or missing. Almost everyone in the Hokage Tower is trying to locate families and find homes for the orphans. All of them were injured and in rough condition, some more so than others. All had been tortured for weeks, some of the girls are pregnant and too far along to terminate. All of them are getting DNA testing done on the baby to determine who the father is. Some will be kept, but right now most are looking to give the baby up. The father's family will get the chance to have the child or put it up for adoption. Hundreds of lives have been destroyed by this organization. And we still haven't found their burial site yet. There's no telling how many will be in it."

"We've all been too focused on the pending war these past ten years. That made it possible for an organization like this to exist right under our noses. They'll start again, we have to find them before they grab more kids. That location has been burnt, but it wouldn't be surprising if they already have another facility hidden somewhere. What about your hounds, can't they track the scent at all?"

"The Inuzuka Clan has been sent out yesterday to try and track. I sent my hounds with them. I'm hoping they will be able to find something, but with so many scents in that place it might be too much for them to distinguish one scent from another. The best we can hope for is that they pick up the burial site. A lot of families are waiting to find out about their child, they need the closure, they deserve it. And those kids deserve a proper burial and resting place. We were lucky. Extremely lucky. By the time we got there Sakura said Sasuke only had eleven hours left of life in him. If it wasn't for Hasan we never would have known."

"How is the boy?"

"He's going to make a full recovery. He was only there for two months. He was still tortured, but he was not subjected to the fight ring. There's no telling how many kids Sasuke had to kill. All of them will never be the same again. Sasuke had Shadow though, I think that helped on some level."

"How did the dog come about?"

"Sasuke got him as an eight week old puppy the week he was taken. The week previous we were on a mission and it went sideways. The village we were sent to help was all massacred. Sasuke's senses as you know are strong, his body couldn't handle it. Not to mention the mental pain from seeing a massacre after the Clan. I left him in a cleared house with Pakkun while we cleared the village. We didn't know if the killer was still there and we had to check for survivors. The killer came back to the house Sasuke was in and they got into a fight. Sasuke killed him, it was an accident and in the heat of the moment, but he took his first life."

"Heat of the battle, it was bound to happen at some point. I wish he could have been older, but I am thankful he wasn't younger like we both had to be."

"That is true. He wanted companionship, someone to come home to after a hard mission. He suggested getting a puppy, he got used to being around Pakkun and my hounds and he liked that he could have the dog with him during training or going on runs. Shadow is a king german shepherd, once he is healthy he will be very big in weight. He needs some training to get used to being in a normal environment. He's not house broken yet, but Sasuke was working with him on training. He knows how to sit and down. He listens to Sasuke and is very protective of him and the kids. Hasan said that Shadow would put himself in danger to protect them. He's been abused by the guards from it, but he still refused to back down until Sasuke told him to. He would also keep the kids warm. He's a good dog, but he will need some time to get house broken. I know you hate dogs."

"I do hate dogs. But he's Sasuke's and he has protected them, tried to care for them. Sasuke and the kids need him, that's good enough for me. You work on getting him house broken though."

"I already have. I'll pick up some stuff for him too. Treats will be very helpful and his breed of dog is very smart. It won't take long for him to learn. Kiba is still in the village he has offered to help with Akamaru and getting Shadow used to other animals. Give him three months and he should be fully housebroken."

"What about the Naras? How did they get involved?"

"Through Shikamaru. So bit of a story, when you came the last time Sasuke was in the hospital him and Shikamaru had already started to grow close. Shikamaru saved Sasuke when his apartment was set on fire and he was beaten by the ANBU that you killed. Shikamaru was then later attacked by the same group for eavesdropping on them. That brought them closer and then when I left with the squad to try and kill Orochimaru Shikamaru spent the night with Sasuke. Shikamaru kissed him and then the ANBU attacked and Sasuke was in jail for nine days."

"So my brother is gay."

"Is that an issue for you?"

"Not at all. I was just thinking it's funny how my Father always said we would give the clan powerful heirs with our blood, yet we both turned out gay. All I care about is him being happy, it doesn't matter to me."

"Shikamaru made him very happy. They were together unofficially for six months. They both wanted to take it slow and see how they felt about everything. Neither had ever kissed anyone before or been attracted to someone. The first time it happens and it was with a boy. That can be confusing and they took the time to get to know each other and really fall in love. They were good for each other, really good. With Shikamaru being around that brought his parents around. We all would have family dinner every week when we could. It took Sasuke awhile to get used to being around them, especially Yoshino. You could tell he wasn't used to motherly affection. He got better at it though and he named Yin after her. It was her nickname growing up."

"He named Kai after you?"

"Hasan said he did. We haven't spoken to Sasuke about the kids yet. He asked if they were ok and he told Yoshino that he didn't know what to do with them. I don't want to stress him with them. Yoshino and Shikaku are good people, good parents, you can trust them with the three of them."

"They seem very nice. Caring. That's different for us, we didn't have parents like that. I can see why it took Sasuke some time to get used to it. Him and Shikamaru aren't together I'm assuming."

"He has a new boyfriend, Hurrio. He does not like Uchiha or Sasuke at all. He's a Jounin ninja, like Shikamaru. But Shikamaru is a Junior Advisor on the Council and Hurrio is an active field ninja. He does his job, but he only does his job. Everyone that grew up with Sasuke after we got back here they were helping the nurses try and get everyone identified and set up in a room. It wasn't their job, but they were helping like most decent people do. Hurrio did out of obligation to Shikamaru. To him that isn't part of the job and not worth doing. He does his job and that's it. He doesn't get attached to any client and he doesn't feel bad for having to hurt someone. He's a mindless minion with an ego the size of the village. He also told Sasuke yesterday that he was Shikamaru's boyfriend, that didn't go over well. And when Sasuke asked about his dad, he said his dad was dead. Now Sasuke meant me and whether or not Hurrio knew that has yet to be seen, but it seemed a little personal to me. Like he wanted Sasuke to know that Shikamaru was his and he was now alone. It took me ten minutes to get Sasuke to calm back down and realise that I wasn't dead or a figment of his imagination from the drugs that were given to him. You showed up not too long after."

"He isn't allowed around Sasuke or the kids. Ninja like that are more dangerous than people realise. If he sees Sasuke as a threat he won't think twice about hurting him." Itachi said with an edge.

"I know. He won't be. Next time he shows up I'll make it very clear to him that he is not welcome around them. Sasuke told Shikamaru to leave yesterday too. I'm not sure what he is going to do, but Shikamaru and Sasuke were very close and good friends. I'm hoping that Sasuke will be ok with him being around again once he has some time to heal and process what happened. To all of us Sasuke left, but to Sasuke he was captured and waiting to be rescued. Thinking about being back with us and back with Shikamaru is probably what got him through. To find out that the man you love has been with someone else while you were captured, it's not an easy pill to swallow."

"That's not either of their fault. Shikamaru had no idea he was captured. None of us suspected anything or even knew this organization existed. It's more upsetting for Sasuke than anger or betrayal. He'll be ok with it soon. His heart will heal from it and after what you have said about Hurrio that relationship won't last much longer. Hurrio's true colors will come through the more he feels threatened by Sasuke. They could still end up together one day. Sasuke has a long road to go first before he would be in any mindframe to handle a relationship."

"I mentioned this to Sasuke before three years ago, he refused, but I think it's something he needs to do this time around. I suggested he speak to a professional, I would really like your support on that."

"There's no other option, he will need to speak to a therapist about what happened. It's the only way he'll ever overcome what happened to him. He's not going to have a choice on that. Thankfully Kai is young enough he won't remember what happened or he would need therapy too."

"Good, I'm glad we agree on that. Look Itachi, about yesterday what happened between us. That can't happen again. It was a mistake. And I don't mean a mistake because it was with you or anything like that. It was my mistake, one I should never have made. I don't know what came over me."

"We were angry and our emotions exploded around each other. It happens and it's not like it hasn't happened between us before." Itachi said with a shrug.

"I'm dating Iruka. We've been dating for years now, seven actually. Seven good years, four actually four good years. But he's been there for me through the past three years and everything that happened. And trust me I was a shitty boyfriend for those years. I've never cheated before. It shouldn't have happened and it can't happen again. I can't do that to him."

"Don't stress over it. Sasuke and the kids are the most important. Not sex, even if it was as good as I thought it would be."

"You've thought about it?" Kakashi couldn't help, but ask.

"I thought about it before you kissed me that first time. Not sex, but what it would be like to feel you against me. I didn't think you would ever be interested in guys. You were always very busy with the women."

"You knew you were gay back then?"

"Since I was seven. I knew better than to say it outloud. When did you know you liked both?"

"When I kissed you." Kakashi gave a small smile to the memory.

"Really? You kissed me though."

"I wasn't planning on it, it just happened. I still don't know what came over me that night. It was an eye opening experience."

"I have a feeling you made up for lost time."

"Oh very much so. The next night I was in my first man. Didn't take long at all. I've only been with a handful of women since then. Never felt the same. What about you? How long was it until you lost your flower?"

"My what?"

"You and your brother are a lot alike in some ways." Kakashi teased. "Your virginity, when did you lose it?"

"Yesterday." Itachi simply said.

"You're joking right now." Kakashi could feel dread starting to fill his whole body. There was no way Itachi was a virgin yesterday, there was just no way. Kakashi wasn't sentimental at all, but he did believe a person's first time should be special and with someone you cared about. Not some one night stand in the heat of the moment.

"No."

"There's no way. Virgins are shy and awkward. They don't know what they are doing and there is pain when they have sex the first time. Especially men. They don't act and handle it like you did."

"Yesterday was the first time I've been with someone, but I have done things in the past by myself."

"By yourself?"

"I have a toy I use when the need comes." Itachi said completely calmly.

"You have a toy. So you have sex with yourself. I'm trying very hard to not think about that image right now. Why have you not been with someone? You were clearly interested."

"I was living with a group of S-Class criminals. Being gay was not something you wanted to express. I wasn't expecting to return and sleep with you, but you lived up to what I expected it would be like with you."

"You've thought about it?"

"While I'm playing. I find it stimulating."

Kakashi had no idea how this conversation ended up in this direction and now he was having a hard time not picturing Itachi spread out on a bed with a toy inside of him.

"You are a lot more comfortable talking about this than Sasuke was."

"Why would you be talking about it with Sasuke?" The slight edge to his voice did not go unnoticed.

"I had to give him a small version of the sex talk when Shikamaru gave him a hickey. He was worried that I would be disappointed in him or disgusted by him. He was very afraid to talk about it and you are very comfortable with it."

"Sasuke was the youngest in the Clan, he didn't have anyone around his age to talk to. I had Shisui and a few other older teenagers closer to my age. I wasn't very social, but Shisui was very social. He would tell me all sorts of things that I was never allowed to talk about. We were never allowed to talk about anything personal, especially sex. Shisui, he loved breaking the rules. He helped me a lot, helped me be comfortable talking about things that are natural, like sex. Sasuke was too young to have that influence in his life. I hope you told him it was ok."

"Many times. My concern was him thinking it wasn't ok and something to be ashamed of. Now he'll have a whole other problem with it, but that is not something that needs to be worked out right now. The point of this conversation though was that what happened between us can't happen again, it won't."

"I am not concerned about sex. Sasuke and the little ones are my main concern. I won't tell anyone if that is what you are worried about. What happens between you and Iruka, or you and anyone, holds no interest to me. Those three are the only ones that matter."

"They are the only ones that matter. I'm glad that we are able to do this together for their sake. They shouldn't have to feel torn between us. Not after everything they have been through. With that said though, you've been working around some of the worst criminals in the world for the past ten years. If you ever need to talk, you can always talk to me. We used to be friends at one point, it would be nice to get back to that."

"So would I. What have you been like these past three years? You said they were rough, how rough should I expect?"

"It's not something I can't come back from."

"You are exhausted, you've also lost weight. I need to know what could be coming Kakashi. We are going to be living together and raising these kids together, it won't work if we aren't honest with each other. How bad?"

Kakashi let out a soft sigh. He knew what Itachi was saying made sense. They were basically playing house together now. They would be raising two small children and helping Sasuke heal from everything. They essentially had three kids together now. He couldn't be hiding something like this from Itachi, he deserved to know about the drinking.

"I've been working a lot, going on missions back to back. I am also in charge of the ANBU as I've said, so I've been drowning myself in paperwork. And when I am not on missions I've been drinking, a lot of drinking. Iruka and I have fought about it quite often. It got to the point where my friends were thinking about doing some kind of intervention after the war. After Sasuke was gone, Naruto and Sakura started to train under Tsunade and Jiraiya. I could have handled losing two of my students, but losing Sasuke, my son, I couldn't handle that. I had hounds out there all day, everyday for the past three years trying to find him and every day that they came back with nothing cut deeper into me. I started wondering if he was dead, that maybe that is why they couldn't find his chakra. Now it makes sense why they couldn't, but I didn't know that at the time. The only reason why my place wasn't a complete disaster yesterday is because Iruka would have cleaned it for me while I was here."

"I'm sorry you went through that. I know how you feel. I thought Sasuke was safe in Konoha this whole time, only to find out he had been missing and I didn't even know it. The guilt can be suffocating. But we can't let it control our actions and our thoughts. We can't change the past, but we can the future. He's here now, with two small children, they are relying on us. The drinking needs to stop and I mean completely Kakashi. We can't risk it being in the house. We can't risk Sasuke finding it and self medicating or the children find it. They have to be the priority."

"And they are. You won't have to worry, there won't be any alcohol in the house. My drinking is done. Too much is riding on us, I'm not going to screw it up. I'm not going to risk losing them, losing him again. I know if I put them at risk you would take them. Just like I would do the same thing if it was you. Nothing is worth losing them, nothing." Kakashi said passionately.

"We'll figure this out, we have to."

Before anymore could be said Sasuke let out a soft moan. Shadow was instantly over to him and nudging his face and giving a small bark. The sound was enough to wake Sasuke up from whatever nightmare he was having. It was clear to both Kakashi and Itachi that this was a routine thing between them. Sasuke didn't even open his eyes, he instantly reached out and Shadow crawled under the arm and curled into Sasuke, providing what comfort he could.

"Good boy." Sasuke said softly, his voice sounding more hoarse than yesterday.

"Morning Sasuke." Kakashi said, not really sure if Sasuke understood where he was or remembered from yesterday.

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes and they could tell it was taking a great deal of effort for him to keep them open.

"Dad, you're still here."

"Of course I am. So is your brother. He's behind you."

Itachi moved around to the other side of the bed so Sasuke wouldn't have to move as he spoke. "Morning Ototo. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Foggy, I guess." Sasuke's speech was a little slow, but that was to be expected with his head trauma and the pain medication he was on.

"That's normal, it's from the pain medication. Don't worry about that." Kakashi reassured.

"What happens now?" Sasuke asked.

"With what Sasuke?" Kakashi asked gently.

"Everything."

"That's not something you need to worry about. All you have to worry about is resting and getting healthy again. Kakashi and I will handle everything else."

"Your mission?"

"Finished. We won the war, we are at peace right now. I'm here to stay Ototo."

"The kids though." Sasuke said, as he fought to stay awake.

"Son listen to me, you don't have to worry about them at all. Your brother and I are going to take care of them. You only have to focus on getting better, that's all we want you to do."

The very last thing either of them wanted was for Sasuke to feel pressured into taking care of the kids. Or forcing himself to be better sooner than he was ready for out of and obligation to them. Even if Sasuke never wanted to take care of the kids, they would be there for them. Sasuke didn't have to be a dad if he didn't want to or wasn't ready to yet.

"I told them about you. Uncle Itachi and Grandpa. I told them you would keep them safe. I don't know if I can." Sasuke said sadly.

"Ototo, you do not have to worry about that right now. You are very injured and sick. All you have to do is get better. I don't even want you thinking about what to do with them. Kakashi and I have this. They are not your responsibility. You kept them alive long enough for one of us to get to you. You did your job, now it's time for us to do ours. Just rest Ototo."

"I'm tired." It was clear that Sasuke was fading and they really weren't surprised. His body and mind had been through too much.

"Sleep son. One of us will always be in here with you, you are safe. Go to sleep." Kakashi said, as he ran his hand through Sasuke's hair.

Sasuke gave a small hum as his eyes closed and they both knew he would be fast asleep within seconds. Shadow was perfectly happy to stay with Sasuke under his arm.

"Shadow will need to be sleeping with Sasuke at night." Itachi said, as he moved back.

"They have a routine for the nightmares. Shadow is very attuned to Sasuke, that's a good thing. He'll be able to wake Sasuke up at night if he is having a nightmare, bringing him out of it faster than we could get to him. What I'm concerned about is Shadow no longer being in the room as the kids. We might have to leave their doors open slightly so he can wander back and forth to check on everyone."

"We should leave their doors open anyways at night. They have been trapped in a room for their whole life, they need to feel free to wander around. We have some late nights ahead of us."

"We do, but it will be worth it. And you're right, I don't want them to feel trapped, especially Kai. It might be an annoying process with him getting up in the middle of the night, but it's better than him feeling like he can't leave."

"Sasuke told them about us, that's good. Kai might not be so scared around us. How long did Tsunade say it would take to find a place?"

"She said within the week she will have something. She was going to try and get the biggest house possible so we have enough room to grow."

"We need a baby monitor, we might consider getting one for each kid until Kai is settled and comfortable coming to us in the middle of the night."

"I'll add it, that's a good idea. As we get stuff make sure you cross it off so we don't get it twice. We'll have to go in shifts back to the house once it is set up. Once the kids are free to leave we'll have to figure that out too. Yoshino has offered to watch over them when we are with Sasuke. The other ninja that Sasuke grew up with offered as well, but I'm apprehensive with having that many strangers around the kids, at least until they are used to it. I think it would be better to slowly introduce new people as we go."

"They shouldn't be around that many people. Their immune system won't be as strong with being isolated for so long. We don't need them catching every flu or cold going around all at once. Did Tsunade run any genetic testing?"

"Not that I'm aware of. She did say they were healthy."

"She needs to run one. We don't know who the mothers are, they could have a genetic disorder or a history of illness in their family. We need to know what to look out for."

"She should be by shortly to check in on Sasuke, we can mention it. You're right that is something we need to do."

There was a soft knock at the door before it opened to reveal Shikaku. He walked in and quietly closed the door behind him.

"Morning, how is he?" Shikaku asked.

"He slept all night, barely moved. His vitals are good. He woke up just a few minutes ago for a couple of minutes. He remembered where he was so that's a positive sign."

"Good, that's good. Sleep is the best thing for him right now. How are you both?"

"We're good. Did you go home last night?"

"No I stayed with Yoshino. Shikamaru headed home, I was just there briefly to shower and change. I'm going to send my wife home in a minute to do the same."

"How did they sleep?" Itachi asked.

"About the same. Kai seems to wake up three or four times scared from nightmares. Yin woke up every two hours wanting food. It's only been a few days and we are already exhausted, to think that Sasuke as sick, injured and tired as he was, he had to be there for the both of them. To hear Yin cry for food and know he had nothing to give her. To see Kai trying to walk, but not be strong enough. The mental and emotional pain Sasuke would have gone through each and every day from it, I can't imagine. He has to feel like a failure and he's not, but he must feel that way. I feel like I failed them and I didn't even know they existed. It's a cruel level of torture for someone to have to go through on top of the torture he already was going through." Shikaku said with a great deal of hurt.

"He probably does feel that way and that might be a reason why he doesn't want them, he doesn't feel like he deserves them. Like he can't take care of them right. Everyone has a long road ahead of them." Kakashi said.

"The war is over and all the Great Nations call this a time of peace. No one is fighting with each other, they have new alliances they are working out to keep the peace between the nations. But peace can be just as deadly as a time of war. Peace lets people, ninja, believe that there are no enemies out there. Organizations that operate underground like this one continue to grow, spreading their poison to thousands. No one bothers to look for them because the world is at peace or there is a more dangerous threat on the horizon. Hundreds of children completely forgotten about. The only reason we know about it is because one boy was lucky enough to be put in the same cell as Sasuke. One boy was brave enough to fight for his life and run. It should never have come to this. The Great Nations failed every single one of those children, living and dead." Itachi said.

"You are absolutely right Itachi and unfortunately now all we can do is try and reconnect as many families as we can. And hunt down this organization to make sure it never happens again. If the Great Nations had been more vigilant we may have been able to prevent this organization from getting so large. We were too focused on the enemies we could see to even stop and think about what lurks below." Shikaku agreed.

"Now with the war over we need to put our focus on that underground world. We need to find them and shut them all down, then this world will be at peace." Kakashi added.

"We will. We brought it out into the light, now we don't stop until every single one of them has been taken down. Is there anything either of you need before I go? Anything you need help getting organized?"

"No we're good. We have a list going for what we will need at the house when Tsunade is able to secure one for us. It's just a matter of waiting for now." Kakashi answered.

"We are more than happy to help you with anything, you know that."

"I know, and we appreciate it. How was Shikamaru this morning? Did you see him?"

"I did briefly. He was heading into work to help get the victims organized. He wants to be here, but he thought it might be better to give Sasuke a couple of days to get used to everything."

"He's in a hard position. He didn't know Sasuke had been kidnapped, he moved on with his life like he should have. Now everything is complicated and messy. Sasuke feels betrayed and he has the right to. Shikamaru feels guilty when he shouldn't. From what I have heard they were good friends before this happened, with time they should find a path back to that." Itachi said.

"I hope so, it would be a shame for them to lose that." Shikaku agreed.

"Are you alright with him?" Itachi asked Kakashi referring to Sasuke.

"I'm fine. Iruka should be here shortly with breakfast."

"I'll spend some time with the kids while he's sleeping." Itachi said, he also didn't really want to be here when Iruka was here. It wouldn't be awkward for him, but he knew Kakashi would be feeling it.

"Sure, do you want to switch every three hours? It gives the kids a chance to get to know both of us."

"That's fine."

"I'm going to head to the kids and get my wife to let them go for an hour. I'll see you there Itachi." Shikaku said before he headed out.

"Does Iruka know?" Itachi asked once they were alone.

"No and I don't plan on telling him. It would only cause tension between everyone, it's better to keep him in the dark about it."

"Hn."

That was all Itachi said before he headed out. Once the door was closed Kakashi let out a sigh as he sagged in his chair. He really had no idea how he was going to handle Iruka and Itachi together. He knew it was only a matter of time before they would all be in the same room. Thankfully Itachi really didn't seem to care about what happened between them. Kakashi was blessed in that area that Itachi was like Sasuke where some social situations were present. He was better than Sasuke in that area as well, but he was old enough to have cousins and friends in the clan to help him. Sasuke didn't have that and now it was going to be very difficult to get him even up to Itachi's level. He was feeling good about the kids and how they would be able to co-parent them. Itachi was reasonable and he would do anything to help Sasuke and his kids. Kakashi knew that Itachi would love those kids instantly and be there for them through all of this. Once Itachi cared about you, there was nothing he wouldn't do for you. Itachi knew that Kakashi was important to Sasuke and the kids, so he would do what he could to make sure they got along. Together they would take care of these kids and get them healthy and through this.

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Itachi walked into the kids' room and saw Yoshino sitting on the floor with Kai, who had a few blocks. The second Kai saw Itachi he quickly crawled away and hid behind the rocking chair in the room.

"Oh no Sweetie, it's ok he won't hurt you." Yoshino said gently.

Kai was not trusting though and he stayed hidden.

"I'm sorry." Yoshino started, but Itachi cut her off.

"It's ok. Kakashi told me he's skittish around new faces."

Itachi went over a little closer and he bent down as he spoke to Kai in a tone that he only ever used for Sasuke when he was younger.

"Hi Kai, you look just like your Daddy did when he was your age."

The resemblance was amazing to Itachi. Kai had Sasuke's soft features and lines. He also had Sasuke's dark eyes and hair color. Kai's hair though went straight down and not spike out like his own hair. He was thin, but he was a cute little boy.

"I heard your Daddy told you about me and your grandpa. I'm your uncle Itachi. It's ok you don't have to be afraid of me."

Kai gave Itachi a look like he was thinking about coming out, but he was still unsure about it. Itachi couldn't blame him, after everything he had been through and seen it would be hard to trust anyone, especially a man. Itachi gave Kai a warm smile as he sat down. He picked up a block as he spoke.

"Did you know, your Daddy loved to play with blocks when he was your age. He would let me build him a wall just like this." Itachi started to build up a wall as he continued to speak. "And then when I was at the last block, he would knock it down on me. He used to laugh and laugh. I used to try and trick him, but he was too smart for me. Do you like blocks?"

Kai hesitated and then gave a small nod.

"Would you like to try knocking it down? Sometimes when the blocks fall they go everywhere, even under chairs. I always like to see how far they can go and try to beat it the next time."

Kai inched a little closer, but he was still unsure. Itachi gave him a warm smile as he spoke again.

"You ready?"

Itachi moved his hand over to the finished tower and once he was sure Kai was ready for it he knocked it down. Kai watched with delight as the blocks came crashing down and some skid across the floor, one right under the chair next to him. Itachi started to build the tower again and when he got to the last piece, the piece he left under the chair, he turned to Kai again.

"Do you want to put the last block on top?"

Kai looked over at the block and they could see him thinking about it. No one pushed in the room, they just waited to see what the little boy would do. After a moment he slowly reached out and took the block. He very cautiously edged towards the tower and with a slightly shaky hand he focused very hard on getting the block on top of the tower.

"Very good Oi." Itachi encouraged when he got the block up on top. At the confused look on Kai's face Itachi explained. "Oi means nephew. I am your uncle, you are my little nephew. We're family, just like you and Daddy and Yin are family. We're all family. Would you like to knock it over?"

Kai hesitantly moved his hand and gently pushed the blocks over. They didn't spill very far, but Kai had the faintest of smiles on his face. The first hint of a smile they had seen on his face since he had arrived at the hospital.

"Good job Oi. Do you want to help me build it back up? I bet we could make them go this far next time." Itachi said, as he pointed to the floor just a little bit further away from where the blocks landed.

Kai started to pick up the blocks and Itachi joined him. Yoshino smiled as she watched the two of them interact with each other. She looked back to Shikaku and he gave a nod towards the door, indicating that they should leave.

"Kai Sweetie, I am going to head out for a little while, but I'll be back later. You have fun with your Uncle Itachi ok?" Yoshino said warmly.

Kai just gave a nod and continued to build the tower.

"Itachi, Yin ate an hour ago roughly, she should be up in an hour or so for another feeding. Do you know how to use the bottles?"

"Yes, we used them with Sasuke. How much is she eating?"

"She eats a bottle a feeding right now. Kai ate this morning, he is allowed to eat soup and ice cream. He has been cleared to eat oatmeal in small amounts, yogurt and plain toast. We are also giving him milk in small amounts at a time. Tsunade said tomorrow if he isn't sick we can try giving him small amounts of orange juice to help with vitamins. In the morning he gets a couple of drops of vitamins in his milk, he's had it this morning. Don't be surprised if he gets tired soon, he has only been able to stay awake for two hours at a time."

"Ok. Thank-you for being here with them so much. You're tired, you need real sleep. Go rest Kakashi and I are going to take shifts between the kids and Sasuke. Take care of yourselves."

"And that is what my lovely wife is going to do. Come on dear, Itachi has this."

"I know. Ok, we'll be back later on."

Itachi just gave a nod and they both headed out leaving Itachi playing with Kai. It was three hours later when Kakashi came into the room. He saw that Itachi had Kai in his lap reading him a book in the rocking chair. Kai had his thumb in his mouth and looked very sleepy. That was until he saw Kakashi and turned his face into Itachi's chest.

"It's ok little Oi. Do you know who this man is?" Itachi asked, as he wrapped his arms around Kai. Kai just shook his head no. "This man is very important. This man is Kakashi, he's your Grandpa. That is your Daddy's Daddy."

Kai turned his head slightly to look at Kakashi. Kakashi gave a wave as he spoke.

"Hi Kai, I have been waiting to come and see you. I'm sure you miss your Daddy, he's sick and sleeping right now. You, your Daddy and Yin are all safe now though. Your Uncle Itachi and me, we're not going to let anyone scary around you or hurt you. And we really can't wait until we get to take you home."

"He's right Oi. You are going to have a real bed that will be so comfy you'll never want to leave it. And toys, lots of toys and blocks. You don't ever have to be scared of us."

"That looks like a good book, would it be ok if I listen too?" Kakashi asked Kai.

Kai hesitated for a moment before he gave a small nod. Kakashi gave him a warm smile as he went and sat down in another chair. Kai cuddled up against Itachi as he continued to read the story. By the time Itachi finished the story Kai was almost asleep.

"Kai, would you like me to read you another story?" Kakashi asked. He knew that Itachi wouldn't like Sasuke being alone for so long.

Kai gave a small nod as he turned and held his arms out to Kakashi, already learning that was how he could show he wanted someone. Kakashi easily went over and picked Kai up. Kai curled into Kakashi's chest as Itachi spoke.

"Did he wake up?"

"No. A nurse came by and checked in on him. She said to just let him sleep. He needs to eat, but the lack of sleep was more dire than his need for food. The IV he's on is giving his body nutrients. She said to let him sleep as much as he wants today and tomorrow we can work on getting him eating more frequently. Iruka was going to stay, but I asked if he would start packing my place up. He was happy to help and have something to do."

"You do know that eventually we will be in the same room. I already told you I wouldn't say anything. You don't need to try and keep us apart."

"I know, but you don't need to spend three hours making small talk with him in your brother's hospital room. Go sit with him, I got the kids."

"Yin will be up soon for another feeding. Do you know how to do that?"

"Open the bottle, put the nipple on it from an unopened package and then feed her with her sitting up slightly so it is easier for her stomach to digest it. I asked the nurse."

"She'll need to be changed too."

"I can figure it out, or ask a nurse. Don't worry about us, I have this."

"Hn."

It was clear that Itachi didn't really believe Kakashi, but he knew there were nurses that he could ask if he needed help. Itachi headed out and made his way to Sasuke's room. Kakashi picked a book and went and sat down in the rocking chair with Kai and started to read. He knew that Kai would be sleeping soon and then he would have Yin to handle before she went back to sleep herself. It was the first shift of many to come for them.

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It was the next morning in Sauske's hospital room. Kakashi and Itachi were both there, Itachi having his clone here while he was with the kids. Shikaku and Yoshino had just arrived with breakfast for everyone. Sasuke had been sleeping all day and night again. Today they would need to get him awake every few hours to eat something. The kids had been up throughout the night and both Kakashi and Itachi were feeling it. They knew it would be worth it though.

"Have you heard anything about the other kids?" Kakashi asked the Naras.

"From nurses. They have all been working around the clock on trying to get everyone's DNA and running it against all of the children. We have no idea who the mothers are, as they are killed. They are trying to find all the fathers and see if any of the kids maybe are related. We know from Hasan that when the mother gives birth she is killed and when the father dies the children go to someone else. They want to make sure that everyone who is related ends up with the right family." Shikaku answered.

"From what Shikamaru told us last night, it's a huge mess that is spreading across the world. All of these kids have been taken from all over." Yoshino added.

"It's going to take a while before we are able to find a family for everyone." Kakashi said.

"We've been talking about taking one of the orphan kids in." Yoshino said.

"Really?" Itachi asked.

"We have the space. We have a finished basement that Shikamaru has agreed to move into. He gets more space and privacy now that he is older. We can turn his room into a guest room for Yin and Kai and then we have the spare room for a bedroom. We are young enough to raise another child, maybe a girl this time."

"Some of these kids are going to be placed into different foster homes. A lot of the mothers who are currently pregnant want nothing to do with the baby. The fathers are looking to pretend like it didn't happen. We could give a good home to one of these children." Shikaku added.

"You would give a very good home to a child. They would be lucky to have you." Kakashi said.

The door opened and Tsunade walked in. She gave everyone a warm smile as she spoke.

"How is everyone this morning?"

"We're good. Sasuke's been asleep all day and night." Kakashi said.

"A nurse told me on my way in. In an hour or so you need to wake him up if he hasn't and get him to eat something. We have to get his stomach used to food again. There are some things we need to talk about. Itachi, are the kids asleep?"

Tsunade knew it was a clone here, but she wanted the real one.

"They are."

"Meet us in the hallway please."

Itachi's clone disappeared and everyone knew that he would be leaving a clone with the kids.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing with Sasuke and the kids, but some new information has come up and I don't want Sasuke to wake up hearing us talk about it."

They all made their way out into the hallway and once Itachi joined them Tsunade started.

"First, I found a house for you both. Six bedrooms all upstairs, a fully finished basement with a bathroom and bedroom down there. Yard is all fenced in and lots of room. The house is roughly four thousand square feet and the yard is two acres. Lots of room to grow. It is owned by Konoha and currently empty. I have the paperwork so once you sign it, it's yours. I lowered the rent to help make things easier for you both. You can rent it for a while and if you decide to stay there together you can always buy it. It is located near the back of the village by the Aburame Clan in between the two training grounds. You don't have anyone around you, it's all grass and trees."

"Sounds great. We'll sign the papers and start getting it ready. The kids can leave at the end of the week still right?" Kakashi asked.

"They can yes. Second, all of the Kages are coming to the village with a list of all of their missing or runaway children for their territory. They are coming with lots of boxes for DNA samples and photos. I got word from Hana, Kiba's sister, they found a burial site. I'm sending multiple squads down to help with recovery, same as Gaara. He'll be here later on today he's summoning himself here."

"How many bodies?" Itachi asked.

"Multiple layers, we won't know until all of the bodies have been recovered. It's going to be hundreds. We have specialists going to try and help us determine how old they have been there. We still don't know how long this organization has been active. Thirdly and most important, as you know we have been running everyone's DNA for any comparisons, including the children. We didn't get a hit on Yin, but we could confirm that she is Sasuke's daughter. Not that we were expecting anything less."

"But you did on Kai." Itachi stated.

"We did. I know you both wanted to have genetic testing done on both children and it is running. We did get a hit on DNA for Kai. We don't know who the mother is, but we have been able to find out what family the mother is from. We were able to match it to an old hospital record, a birth record. Kai's mother was from the Uzumaki Clan. Kai is Naruto's cousin, distant, but related."

"An Uzumaki? I thought it was just Pain and Naruto left." Kakashi was shocked by this. He never expected anything like this to come from the DNA.

"There was only a few left in the world. It wouldn't surprise me if Naruto is the last of that generation of Uzumaki. We found something else though. When running the DNA of the children we found a two year old boy named Mika. He is one of the orphans, he has the same mother as Kai."

"What?" Itachi asked confused now.

"But I thought the mothers were all killed once they gave birth." Shikaku said confused as well.

"They were, she was. Both Kai and Mika are the same age, exactly. Less than a minute between them. Now Mika has a different father, I already ran it just in case they were twins. That is not the case."

"So the mother has a twin?" Yoshino asked confused still.

"No, if she did they would come back as related, that's not the case. The mother's DNA is a perfect match."

"Then how is this possible?" Kakashi demanded.

"It's extremely rare, but the only way possible is the mother released two eggs and both were fertilized by different men. Now, women release more than one egg all the time, it's how you get fraternal twins. The rare part comes when each egg is fertilized by a different male. One pregnancy, two fathers."

"But then why wasn't Mika with Sasuke? Or why leave Kai with Sasuke? They were having multiple men sleeping with her, they must have some way to tell who the father was." Kakashi said.

"This is all speculation based on what we could gather from victims, but they usually stuck to one guy and one girl. Now there have been a couple that mentioned that sometimes the guards when they switch would forget who the man was and would bring someone else. It was rare, but it happened roughly a handful of times, which makes sense when you are dealing with such a large number of victims. You couldn't exactly keep a log. Best guess, they brought the wrong guy one time and that's all it takes. This is literally a perfect storm situation. So rare it shouldn't have happened, but when the stars all align it happened."

"None of this makes sense though. Why wasn't he with Sasuke then?" Itachi said.

"Who was he with?" Kakashi asked, because the guards should have assumed the mother had twins and they were both Sasuke's.

"This is the weird part, because the boy should have been with Sasuke. I think they found out the mother was having two and figured out the screw up. But they didn't do DNA testing. We don't know who the father is, but I think it's safe to assume he looked like Sasuke. It would make sense for the guard to bring the wrong male into the room. Mika has very dark red hair, it almost looks black until the light hits it. He also has dark black eyes and his hair spikes like Sasuke's. Based on first look, you would think Mika is Sasuke's. Mika is the only child that was found alone in a warm room with a bed, blocks, toys and clean clothes. He's not injured, not sick and he has been fed just like every healthy little boy his age."

"They took care of him. But why?" Shikaku asked.

None of this was making any sense to them. This whole organization didn't make sense to them.

"Again speculation, but I think they figured out both kids had different fathers. I think they wanted an Uchiha boy and they did it by looks. They took the wrong kid, a miracle in itself. A male Uchiha with Uzumaki blood in him, plus with Sasuke being one of the reincarnations that we now know about. There is no telling how powerful that little boy could be. They picked the wrong boy."

"They thought they were giving Sasuke the other man's son. It would explain why they kept Yin with Sasuke." Shikaku said.

"They wanted Sasuke. They targeted him, that's why they came and took him. They didn't stumble upon him they sought him out. They knew he was an Uchiha and a ninja, but they still took the risk in capturing him. But if this was just about making Uchiha sons they would have kept him in better condition. They wouldn't have used him in the fighting ring or starved him. We're missing pieces." Itachi said.

"We're missing a lot. Because you're right, why kill the mothers after one birth when they could be used multiple times. Why keep the top fighters in horrible conditions. Why kidnap so many kids? And how are they affording it? None of these men are working for free they're criminals. They are getting the money to feed everyone and keep that facility running. But from what we have been able to gather from the boys only the guards bet in the fight ring. Where is their money coming from? What's their end game?" Shikaku added.

"I'm more concerned about their end game. They targeted Sasuke, then we have to assume they targeted whoever the mother was. They only kept Mika when they could have kept Yin too. She's still an Uchiha and could produce more one day. Why the desire to have a male Uchiha and Uzumaki child? What were they going to do with him? And more importantly, will they be targeted again. They think Mika is the boy they wanted, they could come after him. They could figure out that Kai is who they want and come for him. We need to find this organization and shut them down before they come for the kids." Kakashi said with urgency to his voice.

"We have squads out searching right now for any information on them. We have the hounds searching for any trace of scent as well. We're operating on what information we have, we need to talk to Sasuke he might know something we can use. I'll speak with the other Kages once they arrive if they have any information. Kakashi, get ANBU squads around the hospital and the village. Any signs of an outsider I want them to investigate. We are not taking any chances with this. We have no idea who these people are."

"I'll have it done within the hour."

"What about the boy, Mika? Does he have any development problems? Where will he go?" Yoshino asked.

"He doesn't have development problems. He is actually doing very well. Someone taught him how to walk and talk. He's right on track for a two year old. We haven't been able to find his father, which means he is not one of the young men we rescued. It's looking like both parents are dead. With Mika being an Uzumaki he will stay in Konoha. I'll find him a foster home."

Yoshino looked over at her husband and when he gave a nod she spoke. "We could take him."

"I'm sorry?" Tsunade asked.

"We were talking about taking one of the children in. We could take Mika."

"I thought you wanted a girl." Kakashi said.

"Mika has the same mother as Kai, they are half-siblings. You both have two small children and Sasuke on your hands. And I know you will want to find this organization. You have enough to try and juggle. We could have Mika. They both could still grow up together, know each other. We can explain it to them later on, but we could tell them they are siblings for now. Yin and Kai will have sleepovers at our place and Mika can do sleepovers at yours."

"We could also keep him safe." Shikaku added.

"The choice is yours. I really wouldn't recommend you two taking on anymore." Tsunade said the last part to Kakashi and Itachi.

"You're sure Mika has no Uchiha DNA?" Itachi asked.

"Completely. Not even close."

"It's your choice. We can't take on another child right now, not full time." Kakashi said knowing there was just no way for that to be possible. They had enough they needed to focus on they couldn't take on one more child.

"You have a lot on your plates, we can take Mika in. The three of them can still grow up together. We would be happy to have him with us." Yoshino said warmly.

"He's still in the hospital for a few more days. He's healthy, but I wanted to wait until the DNA came back and we found a place for him. He's in the children's wing, room thirty-two. I'll get the paperwork in order for you to be able to take him home when you are ready."

"Thank-you." Yoshino said.

"We need to wake Sasuke up and speak with him. We need more information, he's the only one who might have something." Tsunade said.

"We don't know what he'll be like." Kakashi said, as he opened the door.

"Do what you can to keep his mind focused, even the smallest detail could help." Tsunade said, as they walked inside the room.

Sasuke was still sleeping and Kakashi went over to the side of the bed with Itachi. Kakashi reached out and ran his hand through Sasuke's hair as he spoke.

"Sasuke, it's time to wake up."

Sasuke gave a small groan and it was clear he was not happy with being woken up. He slowly opened his eyes and quickly closed them.

"Hurts, too bright." Sasuke said.

Shikaku turned the lights off and Itachi clicked on the side lamp behind Sasuke to give a bit of soft warm light in the room.

"It's ok son, it's darker now. Can you open your eyes for me?"

Sasuke gave a groan. "Sleep."

"I know you're tired and not feeling too great, but Sasuke we need to talk to you." Kakashi tried.

Sasuke gave another groan as he opened his eyes. It was clear he didn't want to be awake, but he knew that Kakashi wasn't going to let it go. Itachi sat down on the bed next to Sasuke as he spoke.

"Ototo, we need to know more about the men that took you. We know they had an accent from the Cloud area and they dressed in black with climbing boots. Can you tell us anything else about them?"

"I don't want to think about it. It hurts too much to think about."

"I know it does. I'm sorry to be asking you this right now Ototo, but we're desperate. We need more information and you are the only one we can ask. Please Ototo, and then you can go back to sleep for a little while."

"You said they had tattoos, can you describe them?" Kakashi asked.

"Back of neck, two symbols, Black Death. They talked in the beginning."

"What did they talk about Son?" Kakashi asked gently. They could all see how much this was hurting him.

A tear rolled down Sasuke's cheek as he spoke. "The one that liked to...in the beginning. He liked the whip, the sound of it. He talked a lot. He used to be a captive there then he joined them. From the Sand. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Kakashi reached out and wiped the tears from Sasuke's cheek.

"I'm sorry for making you talk about this. I need to know about that man though. Do you know his name or how long he was there?"

"It's ok Ototo, we just need to know about him and nothing that happened to you."

Sasuke spoke as the tears came down more. "Ten years. No names, he took his mask off, he thought I was unconscious. I faked it. They leave you alone if you pass out. I only saw his face. Red hair, brown eyes, small scar on his lip. That's it, that's all I know. Please stop."

"Ok, ok Son. We won't talk about it anymore. You did good, so good."

Shadow curled up more into Sasuke and Sasuke wrapped both of his arms around the dog and cuddled into his neck. Itachi rubbed Sasuke's back while Kakashi stroked his hair. They spent the next fifteen minutes getting Sasuke calmed back down and back to sleep. They knew he needed to eat, but they would try that again shortly. His mind was not going to handle it right now. Once they were confident that Sasuke was back asleep Itachi addressed Tsunade.

"Tell me you can use that."

"Gaara will be here shortly with his list of missings. He has pictures of everyone. I'll run it by his photos and see if we can find the name. We get a name we can try and track him down. If we get one of them, we could get all of them. This kid was taken ten years ago and was manipulated and tortured into joining them. He gave in and there may be others that did as well. Maybe that is what they are truly doing there. Why they took Sasuke outside of his DNA."

"You think they are building an army?" Shikaku asked.

"It's smart if they are. A Fight rings gives them an excuse to see who can handle themselves, while entertaining themselves. They torture the captives and see which ones they can break down mentally and recondition. Maybe this is their way of finding strong fighters. Add in them getting the women pregnant with the top fighter's kid, it could be another way to manipulate and control the fighter. Plus they have a child growing up in that world, never knowing the difference." Itachi said.

"Like survivalists, only this group is building an army." Kakashi said thinking about it.

"And the only reason you build an army is for war." Shikaku stated.

"We need to find this organization. Kakashi, get the ANBU guards put up. I want eyes on every entrance of this hospital. I want extra protection around the gate. Have a squad go and scout the Cloud area. Let's see what they can find out there. I will be meeting with Gaara today to try and determine this man's identity. Itachi, I know you want to go and find these men, I don't blame you, but your family needs you here protecting them. Not out there chasing down potential leads. Once we have something solid you are welcome to tear this world apart to find them and shut them down. Until then you are better served here protecting them."

"Itachi has also requested to be placed back within the ANBU. I have approved it, assuming you have no issues with it."

"That's fine. You can have your Captain status back and a squad will be put together for you. My point still stands though."

"I'll be here for them."

"Yoshino, Shikaku, go and meet with Mika and see how he responds to you. He's been good with the nurses so far, but he hasn't been around any men just yet. I will head back to the Tower and get things in order for when Gaara arrives. Kakashi, Itachi, let me know if you need any help preparing for the kids to be at the house. I just need your signatures and then it's yours."

Tsunade handed Kakashi the papers and after he read and signed them he handed them over to Itachi to do the same. Itachi handed them back to Tsunade who in return handed them each a key. Tsunade headed out to get to the Tower and start working on what came next.

"Is there anything you need for the kids?" Yoshino asked.

"No we're fine. We have a working list. You have a little boy to go and meet and have your own prepping you need to do. Don't worry about us we are working out a routine." Kakashi answered.

"Alright, but if you need anything you let us know." Yoshino said.

"We will. Go see Mika." Kakashi said warmly.

"We'll come by later to check in and on the kids." Shikaku said.

They both headed out to go and meet Mika. They were hoping that things with him would go over well and he would adjust to the new life.

"What do you want to do?" Kakashi asked Itachi once they were alone.

"About what?"

"The house. Do you want to start getting that organized today or wait until tomorrow?"

"We can start it tomorrow. Get the ANBU organized first, let's get them guarded before we start leaving them. Leaving a clone with them is good to keep them company, but it won't help if an attack comes for them."

"Alright, I will get to the office and start working on the squads. Tomorrow we can take turns getting this organized for the house. I'll make a clone for the kids, you've had one going for a few hours now. I'll bring something back for lunch."

Itachi just gave a nod and Kakashi made his way out. He sent a clone for the kids' room before he headed out himself. They had a lot of work to organize and a short amount of time to do it. It was going to be a very busy week for them until they got the house in order and the kids settled in. Kakashi knew it was going to be a lot of work and there would be moments where he was exhausted and frustrated. But he also knew there would be a lot of moments where he would feel nothing but complete love for them. Moments that would be filled with smiles and laughter. It would all be worth it and Kakashi was looking forward to each and every moment.

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 _ **Alright we got a cute couple of moments there with the kids and there will be a lot more on the way.**_

 _ **If you want to see any future updates to this story PM me for my new site that I will be posting on!**_


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